Full House
by MissSugarQuill
Summary: Dumbledore's new idea is not appreciated at all by Lily Evans. Learning to live by one's self should surely be left till after school. Unfortunately for her, this develops into more of a problem. Like becoming the arrogant James Potter's little housewife.
1. Introducing The Idea

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. :) So anything you recognise of their's... is not mine:D

Note: Hihi everyone! Yup, I'm back in the Harry Potter business, alive and bitin'! (I know the usual word is _kickin'_, but you should've seen me kicking that soap box yesterday - it wasn't pretty.) Anywho, when ff net decided to be cakesniffers and deleted _You're The Flower For Me, It's That Evil Mistletoe_ and both of my _Wedding Invitations_ stories (_The Wrong Names_ and _The Big Day_) I was rather cross. Very... mad. SNIFF. I've decided to take matters in my own hands and I'm posting another HP L/J story just to relieve myself. Bwahahahaha. So I really hope you like this. :) I've missed writing HP and I've missed all my oldest and dearest reviewers and readers, so hopefully this will help us reunite! (Did I spell that right?)

Full House

Chapter One ll Introducing The Idea

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Really, Professor Dumbledore's new challenge he had cheerfully proposed at the latest prefects' meeting was a simple one. He thought it'd be lovely, not to mention beneficial, if he took away the fifth, sixth and seventh-year's pleasures of having their meals cooked, their clothes washed and all their housework-ish chores done by the house-elves.

"No way!" exclaimed the bright-eyed fifth-year prefect of Hufflepuff, looking astounded.

"What she means is," said the fifth-year Gryffindor prefect quickly, "Do you really think it's necessary, sir? I mean, for the fifth-years, at least."

The sixth-year prefects glared at him.

Dumbledore looked amused as he glanced around the disapproving students seated in front of him in a semi-circle. They were all chattering amongst themselves, looking and sounding horrified, fearful and distasteful.

"I think," Professor McGonagall cut in swiftly so that the students stopped talking at once, "That the Head Boy and Head Girl should offer their own opinion."

Everyone turned to look at James Potter and Lily Evans. They really were an odd and unlikely pair, and many wondered why the Headmaster had chosen them to work together to help run the school.

"I - uhh - um," Lily stammered, looking frantically around the room.

Lily Evans, of course, was easy to figure why she got Head Girlship. She was the smartest, brightest and most organised witch in the school. She was also friendly and cheerful, and the few people who knew her adored her.

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea," James said lazily, and everyone turned to stare at him in surprise. James Potter was, to put it bluntly, an arrogant, conceited prat. As it was, he also happened to be very good-looking so girls worshipped the ground he trod on.

Lily quirked an eyebrow at him. She had only known James by name and nature before seventh-year, and didn't like the sound of him one bit. Now that they were working together, she could only just put up with him. Fortunately for her, James didn't acknowledge her presence all that much during meetings (there were very few people he actually cared about) and so she wasn't required to converse with him. This time, however, was one of those rare moments she had to speak up.

"I really don't think it is," she said slowly and carefully, glancing at the cream carpet, "Honestly, sir, we're all quite busy with our exams - O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts, as you know. Having to do extra chores will collide with our study timetables."

The prefects all smiled appreciatively at her. Lily gave a small smile back. True, she _did_ think it would mess up with their studies, but really she was just another lazy teenager.

James wasn't used to being contradicted, and his lazy appearance melted away as he sat up properly and looked directly at Lily.

"But this is just as important as our exams," he said obdurately, "This is getting prepared for life after Hogwarts. How to survive on our own. Cook dinner, wash the dishes, that sort of stuff. Isn't that right, Headmaster?"

"Exactly," Professor Dumbledore said pleasantly.

The prefects held their breath in. They didn't dare speak up after the Head Boy had. They didn't understand why _he_ of all people was up for such an idea, anyway. He was possibly the laziest person in the world.

Now it was up to Lily.

She was frowning, trying to decide what to do. It was just too bad James was set on doing his own chores. Arguing with him was pointless. He always got his own way. And he had an awful temper.

"He may have a point," she muttered against her own will.

James smiled smugly and went back to lazy mode. He put his feet up and relaxed, thinking about an upcoming Quidditch match.

Lily restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

The room was silent for a moment.

"I think..." Professor McGonagall said attentively, and all eyes averted to her, "That we should have a trial, first. Just to be sure it will go all right before involving three whole years of this school."

She glanced at Dumbledore meaningfully. He nodded in agreement.

"An excellent suggestion, Minerva," he said softly, surveying his hand-picked prefects and Heads, "Ah... I should think... two people would be just fine for trying this out."

Oh, no, Lily thought with an inward groan.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled, "Mr Potter, seeing as you're so enthusiastic about it."

"Sure," James said with a shrug.

"And Miss Evans, as you're so hardworking and diligent," Dumbledore smiled bemusedly, "The two leaders of Hogwarts. You two will set an excellent example of what may come to a majority of the school. From now on, you will be solely dependent on yourselves."

Great.

---

"And now my section of the Head tower is my actual property," Lily explained heatedly over the course of dinner that evening, "Like, I can sell it and rent it and lease it and all that shemozzle. And there's a kitchen and laundry room and living room in place of our common-room. I'm not going to survive this. James Potter is such a prick, and now I have to _live_ with him."

Rinoa patted her arm sympathetically, "Cheer up, Lillings. You'll be fine, and you're getting a headstart since you know how to use all those Muggle appliankeys."

"_Appliances_," Crysta corrected, "Where have you _been_ during Muggle Studies?"

"This can't be happening," Lily moaned, burying her face in her hands, "I don't want to go through with this. Actually cook my own meals and _clean_ the bathroom and tidy the living room and - oh, tell me I'm dreaming."

"You aren't dreaming," Rinoa said complacently, with a grin.

Crysta spooned some potato mash onto her plate, "You're just making a big deal out of this, Lily. James really isn't that bad and he's rather cute, if you ask me. And at any rate, you aren't actually living _with_ him. You just share a kitchen, a living room and a laundry room."

Rinoa pulled a face, "He's not exactly the friendliest person ever. In fact, I don't think he views anyone as 'equal' to him except his friends and probably the teachers."

Lily didn't say anything as she looked at her dinner moodily.

"It's not about him, really... Really!" she added at the disbelieving look on Crysta's face, "I don't even know him that well, and he's probably a nice person underneath all that... underneath that big head. Anyway, I just don't like the idea of getting stripped of... well, eating this deliciousness." She took a bite of her pasta, "And you know I can't cook. It's hopeless, absolutely hopeless. I won't have time to do all this housework."

"It won't even be that much," Crysta tried to console, "Breakfast and dinner, right? Lunch you'll have usual in here with us. It's not as if Dumbledore chucked you out in the wilderness with nothing but a matchstick."

Rinoa frowned, "A matchstick?"

They ignored her.

"Yeah, but still," Lily continued, eager to complain, "I'm actually in charge of this property thingy. It's crazy. I could get robbed!"

"No you won't," Rinoa said dismissively, "Now you're just being paranoid."

"Oh yeah?" Lily said mischievously, "Well, listen to this, fearless foe. If all goes well, then _you_ have to start cooking your own meals and doing your own laundry soon."

Crysta and Rinoa shut up for a second.

"I hope you and James fail miserably and burn down the tower," Rinoa said meekly. Crysta nodded eagerly.

----------

A/N: I know that really wasn't much, but I spent all morning working on it. :) The plot will develop, I promise. Now... please review and let me know what you think about it. :D As you all remember, I am a big fan of reviews and would devour them if edible. For those of you weeping for _You're The Flower For Me_ (as I have spent many hours kicking soap dispensers), I may rewrite it... one day. I dunno. I really am pressuring myself, now that I've posted a new story. But I can't help it! I'll try and finish my Holes fic quickly so I can work on this. Anywho, just to warn you, it may take awhile for me to update. :) Yes, I am aware that is a smiley. Why am I smiling? That remains a mystery. Perhaps I like the song I'm listening to. Goodbye for now, my fellow chums. Have fun and eat your veggies! --MSQ.


	2. Progressing Or Not

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. :) So anything you recognise of their's... is not mine:D

**Full House**

Chapter Two ll Progressing Or Not

----------

"You? Cooking?" Sirius Black raised an eyebrow, something he thought made him look suave, "I don't think so, mate. Remember when you tried to make toast for your parents?"

"It was more like ash," Remus Lupin interjected, tipping sausages onto his plate.

"So?" James filled his mouth with chicken, "All the more reason to start learning."

"Prongs, please," Remus said in a consoling voice as Peter stared snickering, "You've had house-elves and the odd human servant doing everything for you for your whole life."

"Yeah," Sirius piped up, "You probably don't even know the first thing about brushing your teeth."

"I brush my own teeth!" James exclaimed hotly.

"Well, the things you learn these days," Peter said sarcastically, and James sent him an icy glare.

"Okay, so _maybe_ you know how to brush your teeth," Sirius continued cheerfully, "But I will honestly roast a Hippogriff and use its feathers to make a hat if you manage to use all that Muggle machinery without decapitating yourself."

"I take Muggle Studies," James said carelessly, as if this solved the problem.

"You take Muggle Studies," Remus repeated, rolling his eyes, "Alright, I'll test you. What is electricity?"

"Uhhh..."

By the time Remus had finished "quizzing" James, and he got four questions out of about fifty correct, Peter and Sirius were both in stitches.

"Well," Remus said darkly though with a wry smile as Peter and Sirius continued hiccoughing into their pudding, "I suppose it's not much of a mystery who to feel sorry for in this situation."

"Me?" James said grumpily, stabbing his pie before hurling fleeting, murderous looks at his friends.

"No, it's not always about you."

"Oh, how very true that is," Sirius gasped, finally able to speak, "No, Prongsie, it ain't you getting _my_ sympathy."

"Then who?" James demanded.

Sirius and Remus glanced at each other, exchanging A Look.

"Lily Evans, of course," Remus said serenely.

---

Dumbledore gave Lily and James both a week to pack their clothes and possessions so they'd be ready to move from their dormitories to their newly furnished and private rooms in the Head tower. During that week, James hardly noticed he was shortly going to be manoeuvred from his dorm of six years to a much bigger and quieter room. Lily, on the other hand, was stressing out.

"...and you can always just come back here if things get boring," Rinoa was saying as Lily threw a couple of sweaters into her suitcase. Rinoa was perched on Lily's bed, looking at her reflection in the mirror across the room.

"Or if they get out of hand," Crysta added from her own bed, next to Lily's. She was lying on her stomach, looking at a magazine.

"But it won't be the same," Lily lamented, her brow furrowed as she tried to crush her suitcase shut, "And to think, tonight will be the last Hogwarts' dinner I'll ever have. For a couple of months, anyway."

Crysta rolled her eyes, "You're just a fusspot, you know?"

Lily shook her head, "Don't give me that, Cry. As if you'd be all sunshine and butterflies if you were in my position."

"As a matter of fact, I think I'd enjoy the challenge," Crysta said defensively, sitting up some more.

Rinoa snorted, "No way. You're so lazy. Out of the three of us, I think Lily is the most capable of handling this."

"Well," Lily said before Crysta could say anything else, "I just hope it all goes well. Maybe I'll learn something new."

"Yeah, like how to use a can opener - ow!" Rinoa cried when Lily poked her.

"Trust you to look up Muggle tools just so you can torment me," the redhead muttered. Rinoa beamed, "Right on!"

"So you're going right in after dinner?" Crysta said forcibly, wanting to get back to the original topic of conversation.

"Yeah. Explore the place, and get settled in, and then - "

"Get acquainted with the dearest James Potter," Rinoa sang.

"Yeah, that too," Lily said dully.

"Wait, _what_?" Crysta immediately sat up straight, "You're actually going to try and talk to the troll-underneath-the-bridge?"

"The _what_, excuse me?" Rinoa spluttered, looking befuddled.

Lily had burst out laughing at Crysta's description of James, then she replied, "I might... after all, I'm going to be stuck with him for quite some time. Not just with this ruddy trial thing, but also, we're working together."

Crysta frowned as she laid back down on her bed, "I don't think that's a good idea... like Rin said, he's not the friendliest person in the world."

"A horrible temper, he has," Rinoa piped up, nodding her head indignantly.

Lily shrugged, "It can't hurt to try."

Crysta continued to frown.

Promptly after dinner that night, Lily bid farewell to her friends and started off to the Head tower by herself. She had strayed at dinner to postpone having to enter what would be her new home (her actual _own_ home) which would explain why, when she entered the living room after giving the portrait the password, she found James already lazing on one of the couches, reading something.

He didn't even look up when she walked in. Shaking her head slightly, Lily tiptoed in as not to disturb him (she was a considerate person) and glanced around quickly. It was a spacious room, with peachy-cream carpet and creamy white walls. It was furnished with warm-coloured stuffy chairs, couches, a luxurious coffee table and a large dining table in the corner.

On one side was a wooden door with a brass doorknob and doorknocker. The words "Head Girl" were elaborately written in gold lettering. On the other side was the exact same door, except with "Head Boy" calligraphied across.

Lily took another cautious step forward, and jumped slightly when the fireplace crackled.

"Hi," she finally said awkwardly, after permitting enough time for James to say _something_ if he wanted to.

His eyes darted up for a moment, then looked back down at the book. "Hey," he said without much feeling, "Your key's on the table." He pointed at the coffee table, still staring at his book.

Lily frowned slightly. _Good Merlin, he really is a troll under a bridge._

She didn't say another word as she crossed over to the table and picked up the key to her room. James' eyes flicked upwards as she took them.

"D'you need a tour of this place, or what?" he asked in a slightly pained and impatient voice, "Well, the kitchen's there, and the laundry room's there, and where you're standing at the moment is the living room. Your room and bathroom's over there, and mine's over there. You're not allowed anywhere near my room, got it?"

Lily was slightly taken aback. She would've just nodded, but her patience with this rude boy had thinned remarkably.

"I wouldn't want to go anywhere near it, and besides, if you use that head of your's, you would just lock it up and that would keep me out anyway," she said coolly.

James lowered his book and looked up at her, his face crinkled up with an expression Lily couldn't quite put her finger on. She stared at him for a moment, then looked away and sighed.

"Sorry," she breathed, flicking her head back to look at the ceiling, an action she found reduced the stress built up in her. "Listen," she sat herself next to him and he shifted his legs in to make room for her, "We're both going to be spending a bit of time together, right? So why don't you quit being a hermit, and... you know... just _talk_ and not act as though it's killing you."

James raised an eyebrow, then smirked as he lifted his book again.

"Whatever."

Lily stared at him for a moment, then decided it was useless and walked away angrily.

---

Dear Diary,

Current week has been pure disarray. Can't even remember what day it is. James Potter and I have started to "learn to be independent". Would like to say this has been a dismal failure. Attempted to make scrambled eggs for breakfast the first morning and... it was just really bad. So far, both of us have survived without breakfast for six whole days, instead, resorting to instant tea/coffee. For dinner; toasted sandwiches, usually cheese. It's really sad and unsatisfying for my stomach. Am planning to spend the weekend looking up recipes and whatnot in cookbooks. Would like to add that I, under any circumstance, will NOT cook a single thing for Potter.

Living room is a mess, and laundry room is overflowing. Have managed to keep my clothes under control; Potter has not. Would like to wonder why he was so eager for this idea. My room and bathroom is somewhat tidy. I keep it locked up at all times. Do not want to imagine what Potter's room looks like.

Okay, okay, I'm being mean. But Potter has been ticking me off immensely. Have surveyed him over the week and came up with conclusion that he is an insufferable, rude, inconsiderate, selfish, sour, moody, horrible, mean person. The way he demands things from people and then doesn't thank them after, the way his big head keeps biggening (I do not care if that is not a word), the way he hexes anyone he wants just for his entertainment...

GRR. He's made me dreadfully angry. I don't want to think about him. Haven't spoken a word to him since my last attempt to be friendly. That boy needs a reality check.

Lily.

---

"So how's it going, Prongs?"

"Great."

"You seem hungry."

"Mmmm."

James was eating at an alarming pace. He was literally stuffing his mouth with anything he could get his hands on from the lunch table. Even Peter seemed mildly put off by this.

"Judging by this..." Remus looked at him with a small frown, "You haven't been feeding yourself well, have you?"

"Of course not, he doesn't know how to cook," Sirius snorted.

James shook his head as he swallowed several times, "I don't have _time_ to cook."

"You don't know _how_ to cook."

"Shut _up_."

"Fi - _ine_."

Silence...

"I really do feel sorry for Lily now," Remus said dully.

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A/N: OMJ! OMJ! 17 reviews for the first chappie! You guys are great! (hugs and cookies for all) :D Thank you so much for taking your time to review! Hehehe. I'm so bouncy at the moment. :) In case you didn't know, this story's a bit AU, so it won't be following OoTP. A bit of AU-ness is always fun, isn't it:) No, Jamesie isn't obsessed with Lillers in this fic, I'm afraid. I'm with you! I adore it when James is utterly in love with her. In this story however, it's a bit different. But never fear, he'll fall in love with her of course! Otherwise that leaves Harry... kinda lost. Bwahahahaha. Oh! And I'm sorry this chap's got nothing much either. It was more of a filler-inner. There's a bit of L/J action in the next one, although I haven't got much of it done yet. (cowers) Anywho, hopefully more of the plot will be revealed in the next couple of chapters (but if you've watched 'Full House' you'd know it by now), but I fear I won't have time to update much... Oh well, Half-Blood Prince will keep us occupied, won't it:) Hey, maybe it'll talk about L/J more. :O THAT WOULD BE SO COOL! Now I'm just rambling. I have to go eat dinner anyway. Konnichiwa again for reviewing! --MSQ.


	3. Just A Disagreement

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. :) So anything you recognise of their's... is not mine:D

Take Note Again: That I am almighty! LOL. Actually, I've come to explain why my four stories mentioned in the first chapter were removed. Umm... where to begin. It was a DARK night and my goat laid an egg.

Perhaps not.

Hehehe, well, they had blooper sections which for some good-ridden reason is ILLEGAL in the world of fanfiction. So they deleted my stories without so much as a warning. Cue SOB. Oh, well. I've had time to recover. And we will bite them back with this fic! Which shall be as blooperless as possible! Hurray! And a very merry day to you all.

Full House

Chapter Three ll Just A Disagreement

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Lily woke up on Saturday morning, feeling mentally exhausted, annoyed and hungry. She rolled off her bed and landed on the carpet with a thud. She groaned.

All she had been able to think of during the week was _what_ to cook, _when_ to do her homework, _how_ to load the washing machine, _when_ to set aside time to clean up the living room, _how _to sneak into James' room and smack him around the head...

He was really annoying her to no end.

Before, she was able to get on with her life because she wasn't around him that much and didn't pay close attention to him and his ways.

Now he was driving her insane. She simply couldn't stand him and his selfishness. And his arrogance.

She was starting to believe there was no good in that boy, and it kept her up at nights as she pondered on what stupid thing he had done that day, or what good thing he _hadn't_ done, and she was going to explode, because she didn't want to _think_ about him. She _wasn't_ thinking about him, she was thinking about how to teach that pig a lesson, how to make him deflate his head just a little...

Lily groaned again. She hated thinking about anything remotely to do with him.

She couldn't understand why she was becoming so _obsessed_ with this whole situation, anyway. If only this whacked up idea of Dumbledore's had never occurred... she'd have never properly acknowledged James' existence, much less start analysing every single detail of his flawed personality.

How did life become so complicated in the matter of days?

Lily spent twenty minutes getting ready for the day. She was glad it was the weekend; she had had enough with teachers constantly reminding her of the N.E.W.Ts, as well as the added pressure of alarming amounts of homework and household duties.

The redhead yawned widely as she pulled her hair into a ponytail then walked out of her room, locking it after her. The living room was empty and cluttered with scattered cushions, screwed up bits of parchment and lolly wrappers. Lily grimaced. Potter didn't know the first thing about cleaning up after himself.

With a sigh, she shuffled into the kitchen and started to whip up pancakes by memory of when her mother taught her and her sister. Of course, she had only been about six-years-old then so the pancakes didn't turn out that great.

"Wonderful," she muttered, slapping the mess onto a plate and drowning it with maple syrup.

Feeling unusually slobbish, Lily spread herself out on the sofa in the living room and got herself comfortable. She sat there for half an hour, taking her time as she ate her maplish breakfast and flipped through a magazine. When she had finished, she tossed (not literally) her plate in the sink and decided to meet up with Rinoa and Crysta, who undoubtedly would still be in the Great Hall.

Lily was about to exit by way of the portrait when it flew open, almost smacking her in the face.

"Ugh!"

James had whipped in, obviously in a hurry, and abruptly tried to stop himself with a yelp. There was a thump as he grabbed onto the portrait to stop himself from completely knocking the petite redhead over. Lily had squeezed her eyes shut and drawn her hands back, in anticipation of a crash.

She feebly opened one eye when the commotion had subsided, "Err - is everything okay now?"

"No!" James snapped, releasing the portrait as he steadied himself. He pointed at his book on the floor, "You made me drop that."

Lily stared at him in bewilderment, "Yeah, so?"

"What d'you mean, _so_? Pick it up!"

"I certainly will _not_!" she cried, outraged. She was not going to let him step all over her.

"If you hadn't been in my way, I wouldn't have dropped it," James said angrily.

"I don't care. You're bloody mean!" Lily yelled, not caring if she sounded like a kid, "I'm not picking it up."

James gaped at her for a second, then shouted, "Pick it up NOW!" He, too, did not care if he sounded like a child.

"_No._"

The two stood there for awhile, glaring daggers at each other, while the book lay there, unaware of how much trouble it was causing.

"Evans," James' voice had dropped to a dangerously soft tone, "Pick it up."

Lily cocked her head to one side, an eyebrow raised because she knew it would incense him, "No."

"Evans!" James yelled exasperatedly.

"Potter!" Lily shot back, refusing to break eye-contact. To her satisfaction, he was the first one to look away.

"If you don't pick it up right now, I'll - "

"Let me guess," Lily said sarcastically - all the frustration built up in her the past week made her feel bold and reckless, and she found that she enjoyed tormenting James -, "You'll hex me? Try me, Potter." She didn't have her wand on her, but that was beside the point.

She smirked as he looked at her, almost in awe.

He seemed to pull himself together as he burst out, flustered, "Why won't you just pick the bloody thing up already?"

"Why won't _you_?" Lily retorted, folding her arms.

"Because _you_ knocked it out of my hands."

"Excuse me, you dropped it!"

"Only because you were in my way!"

"Potter," Lily said calmly through clenched teeth, "Have you ever thought of _asking_ me?"

"Why should I?" James said at once, almost as if he had been expecting her to ask this question all along, "It was your fault. I'm not going to waste time politely _inquiring_ you to retrieve it."

"No, instead you're going to waste time arguing with me."

"People usually just do what I say without any further queries," James mumbled through clenched teeth. Really, who did this girl think she was? He had never in a million years expected _Lily Evans_ to go loggerheads with him.

Actually, he had never expected _anyone_ to go loggerheads with him, except maybe his parents.

"Oh, yes, because you're too _lazy_ to do so yourself," Lily said skeptically, "Do you even thank them?"

"Why should you care?" James snapped, irritated, "Pick the damn book up, Evans, or I _will_ hex you."

There was no way he was going to leave until that stupid girl picked up his book. And there was also no way he was going to bend down himself and retrieve it. There was just no way. He wasn't going to back out of this as the loser.

Lily rolled her eyes and said heavily, "_No_."

"Who are you, anyway?" James almost yelled, "Why can't you just go back to being quiet and unnoticed? Things were better that way."

Lily stared at him and a spark was ignited in her green eyes.

"That's it, get out," she hissed, and shoved him out of the portrait doorway.

"Wha - ?"

"Get _out_!" she pushed him harder this time and James actually stumbled backwards a bit, despite him being much taller and stronger.

"Oi, what d'you think - " he started to yell as she slammed the portrait in his face.

"Bad luck, dear," the picture of a tall and elegant lady said serenely.

James was bewildered, and he honestly pondered on the thought that somebody had brewed up a Polyjuice potion and had taken on the form of the usually quiet and smart Lily Evans. Instead, there was a feisty and moody girl who wasn't afraid to disobey him on the other side of the door, something that troubled him greatly.

"HEY!" he yelled, after regaining some of his composure, "It's my house, too!"

There was no reply.

"Well at least give me back my book!" he yelled again, a bit desperately.

The portrait flung open and he jumped back as it narrowly missed his nose. (_Maybe that's why she was so angry at me... having something almost slap you mustn't be pleasant_.)

Unfortunately, this deemed unnecessary as the book came hurtling out of nowhere and hit him right on the nose. Swearing under his breath, James straightened himself up and tried to glare at that evil, evil girl. Also unfortunately for him, the portrait was slammed in his face again and hit his nose. Again.

"Great Merlin," he muttered, rubbing his nose. He was more shocked than vexed, something which surprised and annoyed him. (That really was ironic.)

James took a deep breath and pulled out his wand for protection, just in case. He felt as though he had received a severe jolt and couldn't pull himself together. In all his years at Hogwarts, he had _never_ received this type of treatment from anyone, especially not a girl who was ten times smaller than him.

...Alright, so maybe not ten times.

"OI!" James shouted, and the lady flinched, "What's - er - ...what's your bloody problem?"

Oh, drat. He was losing his dignity over this stupid little mishap. He really should just walk away.

But James was incapable of doing that at the moment. He was mystified.

And slightly angry.

There was no reply again.

"Oi!" he tried again, "I'm talking to you, the least you could do is answer!"

There was silence for awhile except for the lady's sniffs of disgust, then James heard Lily retort in a shrilly voice, "You aren't talking to me, you're yelling at me!"

James was relieved she had finally acknowledged his existence, though this was marred by the fact that she _still_ wasn't begging for forgiveness.

"This is how I talk to everyone!"

"Well I don't permit people to yell at me! Take your sodding book and go away!"

"Not until you apologise!"

Aha, _now_ he was starting to sound more like himself. This was brilliant, really.

...Not.

"I am never going to apologise to a conceited prick like you!"

James struggled with himself, then bellowed, "FINE! FINE, EVANS. WE'LL DO IT YOUR WAY THIS TIME. BUT THIS ISN'T OVER!"

"Fine," came Lily's haughty response, "_Fine_."

Suddenly fuming with indescribable anger, James turned around and stalked off. Then he whipped back around and hissed, "_Accio_." He grabbed the book as it sailed towards him and then stormed off to find his friends.

----------

A/N: Eeek! Sorry it took me so long to update! Truth be told, I've had this chapter written even before I posted the second one, it's just I haven't been motivated to post it yet. :) Hehe. Well, as a late birthday pressie, could you please drop a review? Pretty please:) Anywho. I'm stuck on the next chapter. It's horrid. It's not going anywhere. And this story seemed so AWESPIRING when the idea occured to me... but now it's all flat. SIGH. But please don't worry your dear heads! Hehe. :) I've got the plot worked out for the next few chapters, I'll just have to make time to create them into pieces of art! Yes. Ahem. Now I shall worship you for reviewing. BOW DOWN TO MUSHKA, SAYS I, BOW, BOW BOW! Erm - that is to say, ARIGATO (thanks Chrissy the Amazing for tuning me up in my awful Japanese :D) for the revvies.

Now didn't you love HBP? I did. IT WAS SO GOOD! OMJ! I'm sorry I'm a bit late at this but - OMJ! IT WAS EXCELLENTO!

Oh, how could I? Hehe. _Biscuits_ for all! (I think I like the word cookie better.)

Drop thy an email when thee is temporarily insane. :) --MSQ.


	4. Macho Man Potter

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. :) So anything you recognise of their's... is not mine. :D

Full House

Chapter Four ll Macho Man Potter

----------

"I _hate_ her!" James fumed, slamming his book on the table and causing several second-years to jump. He had just entered the Gryffindor common-room and was now lashing out at his friends.

Sirius looked up, "Who, now?"

"Evans!"

The Marauders exchanged blank looks.

"You do?" Remus asked skeptically.

"Yes!" James ran a hand through his messy black hair and glared at his friends, "She's argumentative, difficult, lazy and contradicts everything I've got to say!"

Peter frowned, "Lily Evans?"

"No way," Sirius snorted in laughter, "She's as quiet as a mouse."

"Yes, well I thought that too," James said angrily, picking up his book then slamming it back down again, "But she just kicked me out of _our_ living room and then she threw a book at me, and _then_ she yelled at me through the portrait door. What kind of mouse does that?"

"A rat?" Sirius tried.

"A rat isn't a mouse," Peter said knowledgably, struggling to open his packet of cookies.

Remus rolled his eyes (he did that a lot when around his friends), then turned to James, "Blimey, she does sound a bit... hot-tempered."

"A bit?" James said incredulously, snatching a cookie from Peter ("Hey!") and cramming it into his mouth, "She's a bloody dragon. I want her out. I'm going to talk to Dumbledore about this."

Meanwhile, Sirius had cracked himself up. ("She threw a _book_ at you?")

"Oi," he said when had calmed down, "Aren't you two s'posed to learn to be independent?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well she owns half the space you guys are sharing, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"That means you can't kick her out, or you'll get kicked out too. Not that she hasn't already done that," Sirius sniggered.

James frowned, "Well, I'm not letting her off."

"She's a _girl_, for Merlin's sake," Remus said peaceably as he resumed reading his book, "What are you doing to do, challenge her to a duel?"

At that moment, Sirius threw up his quill and yelled at Peter, "I challenge thee to a duel, TO THE DEATH!", and Peter held up his half-nibbled cookie and the two started to clash them together as if they were swords.

Remus looked up at them with a smile.

James looked irritable, "Stop it, you prats."

"We're sorry, Prongsie," Sirius simpered, lowering his quill, "But it's not _our_ fault a little cutesie pixie kicked you out of your homey."

He and Peter sniggered again as if he had said something remotely funny. James sent them a fleeting murderous look.

"Just build a bridge and get over it," advised Remus wisely, his eyes never leaving the page of his book.

"But she wouldn't do what I told her to!" James cried out, looking at his sandy-haired friend with a hint of desperation, "Who - what - _how _can anyone do that?"

Yes, he was still a bit self-possessed.

Just a bit.

No answered him. After awhile, Sirius got tired of joking around with Peter and went upstairs to his dormitory. Peter seemed perfectly content to just sit there, gnawing on his cookies. Remus continued reading as if nothing had happened.

James was rather annoyed. Some friends they all were.

"I'm going back to my common-room," he mumbled, getting up and stalking across the noisy and scarlet-clad room to the portrait hole. He wrenched it open and almost bowled over the tall, blonde girl standing there, looking apprehensive.

Not again, James thought angrily, halting himself suddenly.

The blonde girl was looking at him with a small frown. Then she unexpectedly gave him a flirtatious smile. Taken aback, James stared at her blankly for a couple of moments before managing a shifty sort of grin. Now blushing a little, the girl ducked past him through the portrait hole, a whiff of strong perfume lingering behind.

James was temporarily lost for the second time that morning.

Of course, that would've been expected, he told himself after a couple moments' reflection. Girls always grew dreamy at the sight of him. He just didn't necessarily care about them. Dating was, in his view, quite pointless.

Still... that girl before hadn't been terribly bad-looking...

Unfortunately, Lily Evans crept into his mind and he grew frustrated all over again.

He was very pleased to find out she wasn't in HIS common-room when he returned. After spending several minutes a couple of feet outside her bedroom door, he came up with the conclusion that she was nowhere in the house.

That was perfect. He had the place to himself and could spend hours thinking up of 101 reasons to loathe Evans. Surely then his friends would support him.

James sat himself in a comfortable armchair. After a hard fifteen minutes' thinking, he could not come up with anything but 'I hate her' and 'she threw a book at me'. Disappointed and angry, James threw down his quill and glared at a particularly ugly painting that hung above the mantelpiece.

The portrait opened and he immediately righted himself. He arranged his face so that he looked cool and calm, but this deemed unnecessary when he saw Sirius walk in.

"Oh," James said dully, yet there was relief present in his tone, "It's just you." James shuffled his stray bits of parchment into an untidy pile and said in a throwaway voice, "How'd you get in, anyway?"

"You let slip the password," Sirius said pitifully, dropping himself onto the sofa, "When you were talking a couple days back."

"Did I?"

"Yep," Sirius gazed around apprehensively, "Nice place you got running here." He kicked away some sweet wrappers and an empty Butterbeer bottle, "Bit messy, though, don't you reckon?"

"Blame that on Evans," James said sourly.

"I find that hard to believe," Sirius straightened himself and began poking through a mess on the coffee table, looking for some existing candy.

"What are you doing here?" James asked irritably, after watching his best friend prod mercilessly through the assortment of wrappers, parchment and fallen feathers for three minutes.

"The other two said you came back here."

"To be alone, maybe."

"Oh," Sirius stopped at once and raised an eyebrow, "What's the matter with you, anyway?"

"Nothing," James replied shortly.

This didn't wash down well with Sirius, who smirked knowingly, "It's Evans, isn't it? She's really got you fired up, hasn't she?"

"No," came the former's answer at once.

"Whatever," Sirius shook his head, "Like Moony said, build a bloody bridge and get over it already! What are you going to do, anyway? That duel idea really was pathetic. I mean, she's a girl and about nine times smaller than you. And at that thought, I think she'd beat you, anyway - no offence," he added quickly at James' furious look.

"As if she'd beat me, no one can beat me in a duel," he muttered in a dangerous voice. He picked up his wand and blasted the mess off the table as to prove his point. Underneath were two unwrapped sherbet lemons. Picking one up and shoving it in his mouth, he continued, "But yeah, she is a girl. Though one could argue with that, and - "

"Uh, Prongs," Sirius said tentatively, "You did not unwrap that sherbet lemon. Perhaps you are experiencing a plasticky tasteless taste at the moment?"

James paused, screwed up his face and spat out the offending sweet. It bounced off the coffee table, creating a most revolting mess.

Sirius threw the tissue box at James as he hacked away, apparently under the impression that unwrapped sweets could poison you.

Sirius looked like he was two steps away from rolling his eyes, a very Remus-like action, "Mate, you are daft."

Still coughing, James heaved deep breaths as he choked out, "Yeah - looked like - wrapper was same colour as - candy - thing - couldn't tell - camouflaged - could've tricked Dumbledore - "

Then, it was if a light bulb in his head had been switched on.

"That's it!" he exclaimed suddenly, looking furiously triumphant as he leapt to his feet. This act caused him to cough several more times before he could explain his behaviour to Sirius.

"Err... what's what?"

"I'm going to prank her," James said rather proudly. Sirius would have laughed at his childishness but the oddly sinister look on James' face stopped him.

"Prank Evans?" Sirius repeated, "Now, come on! She's a girl - "

"I don't care."

" - she's a bloody _dwarf_, look at the size of her, you'd probably knock her over if you brush past her - "

"She was strong enough to push _me_ out of here!"

" - and she didn't even _do_ that much! Now Snivellus, _there's_ a much more appealing target - "

"Snivellus and Evans are my top priority targets, now."

" - there's this great new spell I read over the summer, it causes the victim to - "

"Padfoot, I don't care about Snivellus!"

Sirius' mouth dropped open in shock.

"That is to say," James explained quickly, "That he and Evans are two entirely different subjects. They aren't comparable."

"I should think not," Sirius said with a shudder, "_Honestly_... even if you loathe that girl you _cannot_ say that Snivelly is better looking than her... the thought of it... oh, Merlin."

He looked like he was going to be sick.

James rolled his eyes, "Of course Snivelly's more unattractive. But that's beside the point. Padfoot, have you even been listening to me?"

"Yes?"

"Well then you should know that I'm going to prank her."

"Last time I checked, he was a guy, but sure, you could be right."

James' foot somehow found Sirius' and slammed down onto it. Sirius howled in pain.

"I meant Evans," James said through gritted teeth, looking at his best friend murderously.

"Of course you did," Sirius said, his reply equally muffled as his teeth were clenched together as he massaged his sore foot, "Blimey, Prongs... was that necessary?"

James ignored him. He now seemed perfectly content, knowing that his best friend had finally gotten the point and was no longer reprimanding him. Or so he thought...

"She's a _girl_!" Sirius said loudly and unexpectedly, causing James to start, "She's _teeny_! She could pass for a second-year! For the love of Merlin, are you really going to sink this low?"

He thought that would change James' mind. James hated sinking to anything below table-level. He loved being at the top of everything. He loved being superior. He loved how everyone cowered under him. But if there was one thing he couldn't stand, it would be losing his dignity.

Sirius was almost certain that putting this whole pranking-Lily scheme into context with James' reputation would bring him to his senses.

Unfortunately, he had forgotten that Lily had already marred James' dignity (the image of a book flying at his nose was still thoroughly amusing) and that nothing could stop Potter once provoked.

And shocked.

James Potter dearly hated being surprised and out of control.

"This isn't sinking to _anything _low," James said in a scandalised voice, "It's revenge."

Sirius was speechless.

"Fine," he croaked, shaking his head in disbelief, "But leave me out of this."

----------

A/N: Hey YO fellow citizens of the FF net worldy world! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! Ohmeegosh, over 60! You guys are too great. :) You all rock my socks. (Funny line, isn't it?) Now, this is the last chapter I've wrote, so from now on I'm gonna have to scribble like a mad donkey in between classes (or during, in the case of Sky-ense), on the train, while I'm walking to school, not studying, and listening to my beloved SM Town. I'm really sorry! But my holidays are coming up in two weeks, and I PROMISE I'll write as much as possible during then so I can update more often! _(sticks out pinky)_ It's annoying how busy life gets, especially as I'm only fourteen. AISH. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a five-task assignment to complete, as well as a maths test to study for, so very hopefully I'll see you before my holidays start, but most likely not. :( I'm starting a live journal dedicated to FF net updates and stoof, but it's not up yet... So if you wanna keep posted for now or just wanna talk you can email me. :) I'll try and get back to you ASAP. (Usually 3 days at the very most.) Yesh. That is all. I love you. And you. But especially you. No... I love you all equally. Hehe. Onjena salang hae! --MSQ.

PS. Yes. I _am_ going to update The Inspection of CGL. (I heard someone faint.) I promise. In the holidays. Everything lies in the holidays. Please be patient. I know you have... but a few more weeks! Oh, please HAVE MERCY ON ME! (Loving you all, of course, for waiting for so long and restraining yourself from spamming me. I know it's hard. For that I salute you. And have a gummi bear on me. Yay.)

PPS. Yeah, Lily kicked arse! James is a meanie! But he'll get what he deserves. Yay. If you pen name/anonymous name starts with an... **M**, congrats, you're special today! Hehe.

PPPS. Hey, I just realised mine starts with M. MAD! I'm special today. _(sticks out tongue)_


	5. Blemishes All Over

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. :) So anything you recognise of their's... is not mine. :D

Full House

Chapter Five ll Blemishes All Over

----------

"HOLY FREAKING MERLIN!"

Lily Evans woke up on Sunday morning. She had put on her special, homemade, all-natural moisturising cream the previous night, to help her relax after a particularly trying Saturday.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE THESE THINGS?"

She had gone to her bathroom to wash it off.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Lily, shrieking hysterically, whipped out of her bathroom and almost dove to her vanity, to make sure it wasn't just the bathroom mirror playing tricks on her.

She sincerely wished it had.

"I - I - I look like I'm twelve again!" she wailed to her abysmal (to her, anyway) reflection, unable to believe what she was seeing, "I - have - ACNE! Oh - my - GOSH. How did this happen?" Whimpering, Lily leaned in closer, then screamed again and slid backwards off her pouffe.

Lily's face was indeed covered in sore pink sports with tiny, disgusting-looking, white tips. There was also the occasional blackhead, making her look even worse. Contrasted with her usual creamy pale complexion, this looked _awful_.

Half-sobbing with grief, Lily tentatively reached and dabbed at one of her many pimples. She groaned. Not only did they cover her face, they were also very, very sore.

She had not felt this miserable in years.

"Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh," she mumbled to herself over and over again, "Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh."

She stood up so suddenly it was alarming. She _had_ to find Rinoa and Crysta. They would mourn with her. They would shriek in despair and horror. If she was lucky, they'd also have unlimited concealer and foundation, and about a million pimple-clearing facial washes and creams.

Oh, they better.

Lily had wrenched open her bedroom door and was in the process of leaping across the living room when she changed her mind halfway. It was a bit like fighting the Imperius curse; she had a rather painful episode as she tried to step back yet leap forward at the same time, causing the redhead to wham sideways into the doorframe.

"Ow!" she yelped, immediately withdrawing her fingers which she had crushed, "Ow, ow, _ow_!"

Quite hysterical at this point, Lily ignored the throbbing pain now residing in her right hand as she sprinted back into her room and wrapped a scarf around her face, leaving only a small exposed bit so she could breathe. The wool rubbed painfully against her sores, but she was determined not to show _anyone_ her newfound acne, least of all the-stupid-git-who-lived-across-the-room-from-her.

James was gazing at her interestingly as she slammed her door shut and fumbled with her key, locking it clumsily. She had thrown the chain around her neck and was almost out of the portrait hole when James let out a spiteful, "Weeeeeell."

Lily froze in her tracks. Very slowly and gingerly, she turned around on her heel.

She saw him give her a Look, before he burst out laughing. Anger suddenly flamed inside on her. She knew she must look quite ridiculous with a purple scarf concealing half her face, _but he was heaping insult on injury!_ Like she didn't feel bad enough already!

"New fashion statement, Evans?" he called out smirkingly. For some reason, the sight of him so relaxed on the couch made Lily even more furious. She knew she should just turn around and walk away, but... _no_.

"Well? You going to say anything?" James demanded, raising an eyebrow, "Or are you afraid you'll swallow some cotton?"

Still, she said nothing.

"I heard you throwing a tantrum just before," he continued smoothly, looking down at a scroll of parchment in front of him as if looking at Lily while taunting her wasn't good enough for him.

Lily bit hard on her tongue to stop herself from screaming at him. She had every right to throw a tantrum! She had a face full of _pimples_, for crying out loud!

James looked up again with an amused smile playing across his lips. Very softly he said, "Got a very spotty face now, don't you?"

Lily just stared at him, hardly able to believe her ears. How on _earth_ had he known? She had done a brilliant job on wrapping her scarf around her face! There was absolutely _no way_ -

Deciding she didn't give a _book_ about how he knew, she fled out of the room, determined not to show him how much he had gotten to her, just because of some stupid and spiteful words he had said.

Smiling with satisfaction, James drew a very big tick on his parchment, next to the words: _'1. Put a hex on her night cream.'_

---

"Lily?" gasped Rinoa, whirling around when their dormitory door flew open, "Gracious, you scared me! What are you doing up here so early, and why on _earth_ are you wearing a scarf around your - LILY!" She let out a shriek as Lily wordlessly (well, not exactly - she was still whimpering) unwound the scarf and it fell gracefully onto the floor.

"GALLOPING GARGOYLES!" Rinoa yelled, running forward and grabbing Lily by the shoulders. She leaned up and peered closely at her friend, who now had tears in her eyes.

"Lily!" Rinoa said urgently, pulling Lily forward into a tight embrace, "What happened? Your face - those _blemishes_ are good-awful!"

"I know, I know!" Lily broke down entirely, sinking down onto the carpet and sobbing, "I dunno what happened - but it has and - and - and - "

"Well, there's a cure for this, thank Merlin," Rinoa muttered, grabbing Lily by the elbow and dragging her over to the mirror, "C'mon, Cry and I have tons of stuff to help you out, Lil. Don't cry anymore, you're making me sad."

As Rinoa began to smear all sorts of ointments on her face, Lily began to calm down. She also felt a bit stupid, and was glad her old dormitory had been empty except for Rinoa.

"Um," the aforementioned girl said tentatively after several minutes. She sounded fearful, "Lily? ...This doesn't work."

Lily's heart sank, but she no longer had the energy to rave and rant anymore. She felt defeated. What was worse, she was beginning to realise how vain she actually was. If just some stupid pimples were going to make her miserable and mopey, then she really wasn't the type of level-headed girl she had always thought she was.

But still... _pimples_. It didn't make sense... one day, her face was all clean and smooth. The next, she was covered with all sorts of unpleasant blemishes.

"I don't _understand_!" Rinoa was saying in a shrilly voice, slamming bottle after bottle of skin-care products down as she tested them, "This is the most powerful stuff we've got!" And she rubbed it in so vigorously that Lily pulled away, yelling, "OUCH!"

"Rin," she said weakly, looking at her dismal reflection in the mirror and still wincing at the pop Rinoa had caused, "It's okay... I'll live with it."

Rinoa's jaw dropped open, "Lily, you're a very pretty girl, but not even Miss Universe could outshine those - _things_!"

Lily sighed heavily, "I know... but oh... I don't care."

"You don't _care_? How can you not care?" Rinoa demanded in a high-pitched voice, "No, no, no! We aren't giving up on this!"

And she flung herself into battle mode, ferociously and determinedly rounding up all the bottles of cosmetics she could find. Lily sat there limply, wallowing in self-pity while her best friend attacked her face.

This really was awful.

Really, really awful.

"There's got to be a spell or something!" Rinoa exclaimed huffily, flapping her hands around, "Do you know one?"

Lily shook her head.

The door flung open and Crysta came in, her arms full of assorted muffins.

"Hey Rin, I got you your bloody choc-chip muffins," she was saying in a muffled voice of sorts, as the muffins were piled up against her face, "What's taking you so long, anyway?"

She dumped the muffins on a spread-out tablecloth on Rinoa's bed, then turned to the girls.

"Lily!" Crysta exclaimed, looking taken-aback, "Hey, I had no idea you w - oh. My. _Lord_."

The blonde-haired girl flew over to her friend, acting much like how Lily and Rinoa had when they first saw the disaster, with screaming and shrieking and moaning and whimpering.

The girls worked all morning while the muffins were left lying stone cold on Rinoa's bed, but to no avail. They failed to make the least bit of improvement on Lily's pimples, though Rinoa said hopefully that they had reduced some of the throbbing red ones to milder pink spots.

"Alright, that does it," Crysta said huffily after three-quarters of an hour, "We can't do _anything_ to them."

"Let's go to Madam Violen," Rinoa said at once, grabbing Lily's hand and hauling her up.

"No, Madam Violen would never get rid of them for us! You know what she said last time about Melanie Bullock, when she wanted to get rid of those horrid yellow eyebrows! _'Vanity in girls these days!'_ And those were _yellow eyebrows_ that had been _cursed_ on Mel."

"Well then... what?" asked a crestfallen Lily. She hadn't spoken for a long time and her voice sounded hoarse.

"We're going to hide those things with make-up," said Crysta firmly, pushing her back down onto the pouffe, "C'mon Rin, help me out here."

Lily mumbled something.

"So what? Now's the time to start!" Crysta said loudly, scooping up concealer and foundation. Rinoa hung back hesitantly; she knew Lily hated using make-up.

Lily mumbled something again; it sounded like consent.

"Good," Crysta said absent-mindedly; she was already applying stuff to Lily's face. Lily sat there rigidly. She hardly had any feeling in her face anymore as her friends continuously kept scrubbing it - well not exactly _scrubbing_, but something of the like.

After another hour, Lily looked at her reflection in the mirror for what seemed like the umpteenth time. She sighed heavily. Her friends had done a terrific job, but she looked so... _pasty._

"Thanks," she choked out.

Rinoa hugged her.

Lily spent the whole day in the dormitory, refusing to come out even though her acne was well-hidden. Rinoa kept her company, despite Lily telling her that she and Crysta could go out if they wanted to. Crysta, on the other hand, grew restless and left the dormitory, promising (at the fierce glare Rinoa was shooting at her) that she'd be back soon with more food.

"Lily, you know, you can't even see it anymore," Rinoa said kindly, "Why don't you just come out? You've got to sometime."

"I look _awful_ with make-up," Lily muttered begrudgingly.

"No you don't."

"Oh yes I do."

Rinoa sighed, "Well... we can always wrap that scarf back around."

The mention of the scarf reminded Lily unpleasantly of James Potter. She felt even more miserable.

"No... no scarf," was her feeble reply.

When it was well past lunchtime, and the two girls were playing Gobstones without much enthusiasm, Crysta came back in, her face glowing and her eyes alight.

"Well?" demanded Rinoa frostily; she hadn't been very happy with Crysta just 'ditching' Lily when she needed them both.

"Here," Crysta said impatiently, tossing a brown paper bag at them. Lily caught it and peered inside, and Rinoa also craned her head.

"Sandwiches?" the dark-haired girl said bluntly, "That's _it_?"

"Sorry," Crysta said rather huffily, "People were looking at me strangely because I was smuggling food from the table, you know!"

Rinoa rolled her eyes.

---

Sunday evening came and the three girls left the dormitory together to eat dinner in the Great Hall. It had taken them a lot of coaxing to persuade Lily out, and now the redhead was hiding between her friends, keeping her head down.

"Lily, honestly," Rinoa said wearily, when they were in the Entrance Hall, "No one can see the spots!"

It was extremely unfortunate that at that moment, Peeves swooped above them and emptied an entire bucket of water, cackling with glee.

The surrounding people screamed and dove into the hall to avoid getting wet; students were running around and crashing into each other in their haste to get away as the water crashed down onto the three girls and slopped all around.

"Oh, brilliant," Rinoa said idly, glancing down at her robes which were sodden, "PEEVES YOU ------"

Peeves stuck his tongue out. Rinoa, losing her temper, seized the nearest object she could find (a terrified first-year's textbook) and hurled it at the poltergeist. He ducked and began to swoop above her head to incense her. Rinoa shrieked in fury and chased him around, continuing to yell and holler.

Lily stood there, dripping water. She felt a sudden desire to laugh as she watched her friend rage at the poltergeist. Beside her, Crysta was swearing under her breath and squeezing water from her robes.

"Oh my gosh, look at her face..."

Lily immediately spun around and saw two Hufflepuff girls, huddling together and whispering to each other. They had been staring at her, but quickly put their heads together and giggled when Lily caught them.

Feeling her heart sink, she caught her reflection in one of the mirrors and saw that the make-up had washed off.

"Hey Evans," said a snotty voice, "What happened to you?"

A group of pretty girls were sauntering past. They all smirked at her and looked back as they entered the Great Hall.

"Evil!" Rinoa yelled finally, picking up the book as it landed on the ground yet again. Peeves took this opportunity to yank painfully on her ponytail, "OI!"

Lily felt tiny and vulnerable, and slightly light-headed. She remembered watching Rinoa apologise and return the textbook to the first-year, before walking over to them. Crysta, for some reason, looked highly embarrassed.

"Yeah... well, we're wet now," Crysta mumbled, "I'm skipping dinner... see you guys tomorrow, I think I'll go to bed after a bath..."

They watched Crysta quickly walk off.

"Well, _I'm_ starving," Rinoa said matter-of-factly, "I'm going in, wet or dry. Oh, _Merlin_, Lily. The make-up's washed off."

This was an obvious observation as passer-bys were now all whispering behind their hands, pointing and looking at Lily.

"Yeah," she said starchily, "Erm... I think I'm gonna go to bed too."

Rinoa looked disappointed and sympathetic at the same time, "Oh, Lil... it doesn't matter. You still look beautiful."

"That's not what you said this morning," Lily said, trying to smile, "Don't worry, you just go eat. I'm tired anyhow. See you in the morning."

Rinoa continued to look disappointed as Lily hugged her quickly. She stood there, still dripping water, and watched her downhearted friend quickly walk off, her head bowed. With a sigh, Rinoa turned back towards the Great Hall and walked straight into someone.

"Oof - sorry," she mumbled, backing away.

"It's alright," said a bemused voice, "Erm... may I ask you why you're so wet?"

Rinoa looked up and her dark, almond-shaped eyes met kind greyish-blue eyes that were crinkled up in amusement.

"Hi, Remus!" she said brightly when she realised who it was; Remus Lupin from her year and House, and who had been in most of her classes for the past six years.

"Hey," he said, looking a bit startled, "Sorry, didn't quite catch your name...?"

"Rinoa," the owner of the name replied a bit distractedly, trying to push past him, "Um, 'scuse me if you will... I'm hungry."

"Oh, sure," Remus jumped out of the way and Rinoa smiled at him gratefully before walking past.

"Hey," he called after her, "You still haven't answered my question."

"Oh! Well... at the hands of Peeves, of course, that..." Rinoa mumbled something incoherent.

Remus chuckled, "You might catch a cold, you know."

"It's either that, or starve to death in a bathtub of bubbles. I like eating more," Rinoa replied contritely, making a beeline for her usual spot on the Gryffindor table, not noticing or perhaps caring that Remus was following her.

"Do you wanna sit with us?" Remus blurted out suddenly. Rinoa spun around, frowning.

"With you? Um..." she glanced at where they were. Peter Pettigrew, James Potter and Sirius Black were seated at the table, all eating as though it were going out of style.

"Um... I was just gonna have a bite, so I best not stray around," she said slowly and carefully, not meeting Remus' eyes, "But thanks anyway." She smiled warmly up at him before waving half-heartedly and walking further down the hall, her wet hair shining in the light.

Remus slid back into his seat beside Sirius.

"Who was that?" Sirius asked through a mouthful.

"Rinoa," Remus answered, noting how pretty her name was and how it seemed to roll off his tongue.

"She seemed pretty nice," James said nonchalantly, reaching across the table to snatch the last treacle tart from the hands of an aggressive-looking fourth-year, "It's _mine_, get your own, squirt. And if you'd notice," he continued, "The _nice_ girls haven't got their face covered in ugly spots."

Sirius slammed his plate down and pulled another full one towards him, "Prongs, you _sad_ living creature. That poor girl's probably crying her heart out. I still can't believe you did that to her."

"She had it coming!"

Remus looked harassed, "That's it, though, right? No more? I haven't seen Lily all day come to think of it... she probably is crying her heart out."

"I saw her in the morning," James said, sounding immensely satisfied, "Heard her, more like. Throwing a right old tantrum. Serves her right."

Peter shook his head obstinately but didn't say anything, preferring to eat his way through a large pie. Sirius sighed heavily and also didn't trouble to reprimand James any further. Remus didn't say anything either; instead, he put his head in his hand and looked down the table to where a particular raven-haired girl was sitting, still sodden-wet and looking troubled.

----------

A/N: _(stares)_ 97 REVIEWS? HOLY DRYAD! WHAT'S _WRONG_ WITH YOU PEOPLE? HAHAHAHA! Thank you SO SO SO SO MUCH:D You make me SMILE like an idiot... ahh. :P So here's the next chapter, and as per usual I hope you enjoyed it. Poor Lily:( I'd hate to be in her position. Well, ladies and men (sorry, I find it hard to believe boys can be gentle :P) the real action starts next chapter! Wait... did I say that in the last chapter? _(checks) _Hmmm... I don't think so. Well the next chappie's not going to be a pretty one, but we'll see James get what he deserves. :P That's all I'm saying hehe! I hope you continue reading. :) And hmm... some answers for you guys. Yeah, Lily does know about can-openers, but Rinoa was just teasing her, as she has no idea what they are herself. Yeah, homework sucks. :P Lucky for me, I'm on a break from school hehe. The blonde girl the opposing girl? Hmm... HMMM... I haven't thought about that yet lol. Thanks for the suggestion though! That's all for now, but if you please you may spot the REVIEW button down there and perhaps drop me one? Lol bye bye! --MSQ.

PS. You know the drill, if your name starts with **B** you're the special bubsy today! Hehe. (Dunno where bubsy came from.)


	6. This Means WAR!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. :) So anything you recognise of their's... is not mine. :D

NOTE: HI! Umm... I'm not sure whether I'm going to post my old stories up. Actually, no, I'm not. :( Sorry! Well, I _think_ I'm going to re-post You're The Flower For Me... but honestly, I dunno when that time will come. Once this fic's done, hehe, which might not be for ages.

Full House

Chapter Six ll This Means WAR

----------

The week wasn't an attractive one, if weeks could be called attractive at all. Lily endured an endless campaign of taunting and teasing, snide remarks and unfriendly whisperings, rude pointing and unflattering staring. The students of Hogwarts, really, weren't very humble people. Where there's a will (to make fun of someone in the hopes of raising your own morale), there's a way.

And yet not once did Lily crack under the intensifying pressure of everyone taunting her maliciously. She didn't show any sign of irritation or hurt. She didn't shed a tear as most would in her position, nor did she shrink or hide away as she did on the weekend. To the indignation of one James Potter, Lily kept her head up and plodded on fiercely, working hard in classes and staying alarmingly friendly to everyone as she usually did. After awhile, the students quietened themselves down a little, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. On the other hand, several other students (the more proud and feminine population of Hogwarts) continued to abuse her further.

"It really does please me to see that beast get what she deserves," James said auspiciously as they lined up outside their Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, glancing down at the end of the queue where a certain redhead was standing, trying to cram her books into her bag which was being held by her dark-haired friend.

Sirius shot him a fleeting look, unable to believe James could hold a grudge for so long. Remus, on the other hand, walked over to the two girls much to James' disbelief, and was helping a surprised Rinoa hold up the bulging bag.

"Thanks," Lily said gratefully, smiling warmly up at Remus as she took her bag back.

"No problem," he replied pleasantly, "Err... your acne's clearing up quite nicely." For Lily had not bothered to cover it up with make-up since; rather, she decided this was her punishment for being so vain.

Remus immediately felt like a git for saying this. What an idiotic thing to mention! But Lily didn't seem to get offended. Instead, she seemed to recognise his sincerity and beamed up at him, "Yeah it is, actually. I'm glad you've noticed."

Relieved, Remus smiled back, then turned to Rinoa. She was looking at him with a slight frown, as though trying to figure out something, but quickly flashed a smile when he looked at her.

"Hey, they're going in," she said rather wildly, pushing up against Lily to make her move, "C'mon, let's go in, move it or lose it!"

"What the - ? Well, thanks again!" Lily managed to call out to Remus before Rinoa shunted her off.

"What's up with you?" Lily hissed as they took their seats in the middle of the classroom, the rest of the class moving around them.

"Don't you reckon he's a bit _too_ friendly?" Rinoa hissed back, taking out her books and parchment, "He's a Marauder, Lily! He's close with Potter and all that! Haven't you - "

She broke off rather suddenly and pursed her lips together.

Lily looked at her suspiciously, but at that moment their teacher swept in and the noise around them descended to a respectable level.

"What?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth.

"Nothing," Rinoa murmured back, looking up at their professor and giving her her undivided attention.

Lily held up her book in front of her face in the pretence of opening it to the desired page as their teacher began talking, and leant closer to her best friend, the book still held up to hide their talking.

"Tell me!"

Rinoa's mouth twitched as she stared at her blank parchment. Then she turned sharply towards Lily and whispered, "Okay! But I'm not sure if it's true, okay? Because Cry told me. Put that down, you've been holding it too long."

Her hand hit Lily's book and forced it down. She brought up her own textbook and muttered, "Okay... Cry said that she overheard the Marauders talking - "

"She over _merde_ the Macarena?" Lily interrupted in a whisper, looking dumbfounded.

"_No_, she over_heard_ the _Marauders_ - "

"Oooh okay, wait - let me hold mine up now."

Lily picked up her book again as their professor, oblivious, continued teaching.

Rolling her eyes, Rinoa whispered, "And it was _James Potter_ who hexed you, Lily! He put something in your night cream - errr, I'm not sure if it's true though, but he's not exact - "

THUD.

Lily's book had slipped out of her hand and had landed heavily onto the table. Everyone turned around to look at the two girls, who had their heads extremely close together, and were staring at each other in the eye. Lily had a disbelieving and deadly look, as if confirming that it was true, while Rinoa looked a bit pleading and apprehensive.

"Are you girls okay?" their professor asked, looking surprised and skeptical.

"Yeah, sorry Professor," Rinoa said immediately with a large grin, seizing Lily's book and slamming it onto the desk, ruffling through its pages wildly. Lily was still staring at her.

"Can you not be so incorrigibly _obvious_?" Rinoa whispered vehemently, lifting her parchment with unnecessary flair so that it covered her moving mouth. The professor had resumed her lesson with no further ado.

Lily turned back to face the front and muttered in a steely voice, "I _hate_ him."

Rinoa nudged her sympathetically.

They didn't talk for the rest of the lesson. When the bell rang, Lily sprang up, snatched her already-packed bag and marched right out of the classroom. Sighing, Rinoa shoved everything messily into her own bag before hurrying after her, much to Remus' disappointment as he tried to approach her.

"Lily! Lily! LILY!" Rinoa screamed so that heads turned. She weaved her way through the mass of students all making their way to the Great Hall to catch up with the red she saw in front.

"Lily!" Rinoa exclaimed, grabbing her arm, "Oi! You could've waited for me!"

"I'm _hungry_!" Lily said haughtily, without even looking at her. She marched on ahead, her head held high.

Rinoa watched her helplessly, before shaking her head and running after her again.

"Lily," she said in a low and reasonable voice, "Um... what exactly are you planning to do?"

"I'm planning to _eat_, Rinoa, because that is what one usually does when they're hungry!" still in that haughty voice. Lily flung herself into a seat so suddenly it was alarming. She piled up her plate with chicken and rice and began to eat ferociously.

Rinoa bowed her head as she also sat down, "Lily, I know you're upset, but for all we know it probably _wasn't_ Pot - "

"Of _course_ it was Potter, Rinoa!" Lily exclaimed raucously, "I've just been too _thick_ to realise it! I suppose you can't really put it past Potter to do such an indecent thing, sodding git."

Unfortunately for her, the Marauders were not too far away and could hear every word she was saying. James tensed up. Remus and Sirius stood on either side and shouldered him, urging him to continue moving.

Crysta came speeding over, her head down so that her long blonde hair covered her face. She kept her head bent as she sat beside Rinoa and poured herself some pumpkin juice, as if trying to hide herself from the eyes of everyone.

"Lily! Why would he do this to you, anyway?" Rinoa was now demanding to know.

"Because I threw a book at him!"

Silence.

James, who was sitting half a dozen seats down, spilt his juice all over the table. Peter passed him a napkin.

"You _what_?" gasped Rinoa, looking like she was torn in between laughing and fainting.

"By accident, I presume?" Crysta said rather sharply, looking up at Lily with piercing blue eyes.

"He had it coming, okay?" Lily said hotly, looking fed up. She shoved another spoonful of chicken in her mouth huffily and mumbled, "_This isn't over_... so that's what he meant... what a..."

They couldn't hear what she called him.

Crysta looked scandalised. She said in a hushed voice, "You... threw a book at James Potter? Intentionally? Did it hit him? Oh, God, I hope it didn't, you're going to be in so much trouble."

Rinoa swept a cold look of scorn at her.

"I don't care," Lily said loftily, taking a swig of pumpkin, "He _deserved_ it."

"Look at your _face_, Lily!" Crysta exclaimed furiously, "Look at what your stupid action has cost you!"

"They're just pimples," Rinoa said reasonably, sounding alarmed, "And Lily's not going to let him win, she's going to get him back, aren't you - ?"

"You definitely will not!" Crysta cried just as Lily shook her head and said meekly, "Nope."

Rinoa looked at Lily, astounded, "You're _not_?"

"So they finally figured it was me," James mumbled crossly. He wasn't exactly a big fan of the fact that Lily had called him many unpleasant names in the earshot of about twenty Gryffindors, and that Remus and Sirius were silently forbidding him from doing anything _rash_.

"Of course I'm not," Lily snapped shortly.

"Spotty spotty Evans, spotty spotty Evans, ugly little girls never went to heaven," chanted Peeves as he floated past their heads.

"Oh, shut up," Rinoa said savagely.

"..._not_ sinking to his level," Lily was saying malevolently, "I'm Head Girl, I need to set a good example for the younger students, I've got to be a good role-model and good role-models don't start hexing the hell out of idiot boys with fat heads just because they gave them a faceful of distasteful pimples!"

She was unaware to the fact that many people were looking at her oddly. Crysta let her hair fall in front of her face again.

"So she thinks it's below her to fight back?" James said brutally, further down the table, "She's going to act like she's all _high and mighty_?" he sounded furious now, "I don't believe that girl. She was the one who started it, for Merlin's sake! And now she's going to ignore it so people will respect her and love her and adore her, thinking she's this lovely, perfect angel when she's really a little, stinking _rat_!"

And before his friends could react, before anyone had even blinked properly, James had whipped out his wand and muttered something. A grotesque, lurid-green jet of light shot out from the tip and hit the chicken on Lily's fork. He had excellent aim, due to his love and skill in Quidditch.

Rinoa noticed a strange light emitting from the other side of her, and blinked. Frowning, she straightened up and squealed, "Don't eat that, Lily!"

But Lily had shoved the fork in her mouth, muttering, "Leave me alone, Rinoa."

"PRONGS!" Sirius shouted, at the end of his tether, "YOU ARE BANG OUT OF ORDER, MATE!" and he grabbed James' wand arm and pulled it away, but it was already much too late.

James was smiling in an alarmingly gleeful way; he hovered inches above his bench as he tried to get a good glimpse of Lily.

Students who had seen him cast the hex were now all looking at the redhead too, curious.

Lily was still too vexed to notice her surroundings. She sat there moodily, continuing to stuff her mouth with food. Rinoa looked aghast; she was anticipating the curse to take effect any moment.

"Any moment now," James said hungrily, his eyes following her every move.

Remus looked at him in disgust, "I really don't know how low you're going to sink, James. I'm going to tell her." He stood up and started walking towards Lily and Rinoa.

James glared after him, "What's up with _him_?"

Sirius smacked him over the head, "You're a git, Prongs!"

James rubbed his head and looked at his best friend reproachfully, "Gee, you're supposed to be supporting me here! Instead, you all go and take that bloody girl's side..."

"For good reason," Peter informed him matter-of-factly.

James ignored him; he was looking at Remus as he said something to the girls. Not to his surprise, Lily looked up and shot him a look of deepest loathing.

"Oh, that does it," he grumbled. He swung himself over the bench easily and straightened himself up with dignity. Then he began to stride over to them.

Sirius cursed under his breath and hurried after him.

Now feeling slightly worried, Lily debated quickly in her mind on what she should do. Ignore him? Confront him? Run away?

Confront him.

With a resigned sigh, Lily slowly got out of _her_ seat and stood on the cold stone, with the air of someone bearding a lion in it's den. She suddenly felt a bit queasy in the stomach, though that had to be because she was feeling nervous.

Right?

"Evans," James said smoothly when he reached her. He stopped a foot in front of her and looked down his nose, an eyebrow raised arrogantly.

"Potter," Lily replied coldly, hardly unable to contain her anger. Her stomach was churning uncomfortably and she really felt quite sick. She supposed she shouldn't have eaten so much... so quickly.

He smirked, somehow giving her the uneasy feeling that he knew exactly how she was feeling and exactly what she was thinking. Determined not to let him override her, Lily glared back up at him.

Everyone seemed to have held their breath as they watched.

"So," he said indifferently, "I see you've made the tiniest of improvements on your horrendous face."

A couple of people gasped; Remus looked up at the ceiling and sighed; Sirius groaned and put his face in his hands, and Rinoa leapt up, looking outraged, but Remus put a hand on her arm and she sank back down, shaking.

Lily, to everyone's surprise, was smiling lightly, despite how furious she actually was.

"A tiny improvement is better than none," she said coolly. Then she stopped and a peculiar expression crossed her face. James smirked again. He took a step closer towards her and she looked at him, plainly terrified.

"Feeling a bit sick, aren't we?" he whispered maliciously.

James took a step back, looking down at her yet again as if she was inferior to him.

Lily felt sicker than she had ever felt in her entire life, even when she had food poisoning years ago. Trying to fight the agonising pain she was in, Lily took a deep breath and looked at James in the eye determinedly.

Lily took a brave step towards him and began, "You - "

And she threw up all over him.

---

Madam Violen let Lily leave the hospital wing once she had been given an antidote. She had thrown up ten more times after her first horrific experience with James, all while Rinoa practically dragged her to the wing.

Remus and Sirius, loyal as they usually were, thought that it was absolutely fantastic that James' little hex had, more or less, backfired on him. Though they did feel very sympathetic and sorry for poor Lily Evans, who was so weak she had been reduced to tears. Almost.

As if Lily didn't have enough on her plate, girls had now turned against her. James Potter was the heartthrob of Hogwarts; a handsome young man who was extremely talented at Quidditch. Girls adored him and were scandalised and outraged that the little, ugly Lily Evans had done such an indecent thing. After a distressed Rinoa had rushed her redheaded friend off, girls from all directions came running towards the disgusted and stunned James, offering tissues and splashing water all over him.

James was loved well enough.

While Rinoa was helping Lily back up to her Head tower, a group of girls slinking past called out spitefully, "You dirtied James, you disgusting little wench!"

"Look how _awful_ her hair colour is!" a girl with an upturned nose giggled unpleasantly.

Rinoa glared at them before dragging Lily up the stairs.

"Those little _snots_!" Lily exclaimed malignly, frowning as she held onto the banister for support, "They - _ughhh_..."

She sank down onto the steps. Rinoa, who had been walking ahead, whirled around and bent down.

"Lily? Lily! Are you alright? Er - you're not going to hurl again, are you?"

"No... I'm... fine," Lily managed to say. Her face was stark white and there were dark shadows under her eyes. Rinoa helped her back up and noticed that her hands were as cold as ice.

"You should've stayed in the wing," Rinoa said scornfully, "You're in no fit condition to be out of there!"

"I'm going to stay in bed for the whole day," Lily replied limply, staggering a little, "After that, I'll be fine. Besides, the wing smells funny... and Madam Violen is mean."

Rinoa shook her head agitatedly, "I don't know what's _wrong_ with you, Lily! That boy is so... _evil_, yet you still refuse to do anything back to him, or at least report him to the teachers! Lily, as Head Girl, you should be putting a stop to this!"

"It'll end," Lily said bleakly, "It'll end... if I just ignore it..."

They had reached the portrait.

"I better get back to class. Take it easy, okay?" Rinoa said nervously, looking at her.

Lily waved her hand dismissively, "I'll be fine. Thanks Rin."

The living room was still extremely messy and cluttered with all sorts of rubbish. The sink in the kitchen was overflowing. Lily grimaced and ignored all this as she made her way to her bedroom. She crawled into her inviting bed after she had changed, and closed her eyes. She felt relaxed and calm now, albeit a bit queasy.

"You dirtied James, you disgusting little wench!"

"Look how awful her hair colour is!"

Lily bit her lip as she pondered over these negative statements. She turned on her side and told herself to get some sleep. It'd all be over by tomorrow.

Little did she know her problems had just began.

---

"THERE SHE IS!"

"GET HER!"

Feeling a hundred-percent the next day, Lily had went back to her classes, refreshed and ready to catch up with the work she had missed out. Instead, she spent most of her day dodging angry groups of girls who were planning to ambush her.

"_Really_ now," Rinoa said despairingly as Lily entered the Arithmancy classroom, shaking bits of eggshells from her hair, "Those girls are so bloody up themselves and in love with that _beast_!"

"It's rather funny, you know," Lily said cheerfully, if this was even possible, "It reminded me of playing dodgeball when I was back in Muggle school."

Rinoa Looked at her, "You. Are. Mental."

Crysta came into the classroom; Arithmancy was one of the few classes she took with her friends.

"Hey Lily," she said heartily, "You've got yellow stuff caked in your hair - _ew_, is that egg?"

"Yup, want some?"

Laughing, Crysta said, "Well, I got told to give you this message: you evil girl. Stay away from James."

"Gee, the way they're acting, it's as though they're all dying to come as close as one foot to him just to throw up on him... well, they can if they want," Lily said loftily, casting a complicated spell so that her hair cleaned itself.

Rinoa burst out laughing. She was still very worried but felt that if Lily herself could be so optimistic, she should be as well.

"Hi, Rinoa."

It was Remus Lupin. He was standing next to her table, holding his books under one arm.

"Oh," Rinoa said, startled, "Hey."

"Can I sit here?"

"Sure..."

He slid into the seat next to her. Rinoa glanced at Lily and Crysta, but the two girls were busy concocting a plan to make their way back to the Gryffindor common-room without anybody seeing them.

"Um, I'm sorry about Lily," Remus said quietly.

"Oh, it's okay... though your friend seriously needs to get a reality check," Rinoa said sternly, "Why does he have to be such a git for?"

Remus shrugged, "He's like that sometimes. I think it's because Lily's kind of dampened his pride a little. He really can't take that. He can't live knowing not everyone will obey him."

Rinoa snorted, "No offence, but I'd never befriend someone like that."

Remus smiled wanly, "He's not all bad. James is human too, you know. He's a good person, really, even if he does get... carried away."

Their next class was Transfiguration. Lily did fairly well in evading people as she made her way to Professor McGongall's clasroom. However, a strong-jawed fifth-year spotted her as she desperately tried to squeeze in between two first-years playing some clapping game, and screamed out for the whole corridor to hear.

Fortunately, there were no eggs this time, but a tide of insults and nasty comments that did nothing to raise Lily's morale. However, she had learnt to block this out to some effect and arrived, breathess, in the doorway of classroom which was still empty.

"Oi."

Someone was tapping her on the shoulder. She spun around, hoping doing so wouldn't be a mistake.

"You dropped this," said a tall Ravenclaw boy, holding out her Transfiguration book.

"Oh - thank you," she said gratefully, taking it back.

"Also," he said a bit resignedly, "My sister told me to give you this." He took out a pink envelope.

"Um, okay. Thanks again," Lily said a bit hesitantly, wondering why on earth someone was personally delivering mail to her. She quickly entered the classroom and took her spot near the front of the classroom. She placed her textbook on the corner of her table and began to open the envelope under the desk.

More students were walking into the classroom, chattering to their friends as they took their places. James appeared in the doorway with Remus and Sirius behind him. He raised an eyebrow as he walked past Lily, but she didn't look up as she was absorbed in taking out the letter.

Once in his seat at the back of the room, James took out his wand.

Sirius noticed this at once.

"Alright, what did you do?" he demanded, watching James pocket his wand with a satisfied look on his face.

"You'll see," James said benignly, looking pleased with himself as he started to take out his things.

Sirius peered at Lily, but couldn't see any difference from the back. Hoping James hadn't done anything again, Sirius followed suit and also took out his books, parchment and quill.

Lily's heart sunk as she read the letter that had been written using cut-up letters from a magazine.

yOu'Ll paY FoR what yOu DiD tO JameS poTtER mUDblooD.

There was also a round murky-green button-thing at the bottom right-hand corner of the piece of paper. Written messily in black ink were the words, "Don't prod this with your wand."

Sighing, Lily folded the letter back up and shoved it in the envelope. She was now contemplating the fact that it seemed as though even Slytherin girls adored James.

Ugh. Just my luck.

Professor McGonagall swept in, apologising for being late and henceforth causing the entire class to fall silent. Some teachers had that kind of ability. She wasted no time and told them to all open their textbooks to page thirty-one.

Lily, who had _just_ scraped into the N.E.W.T Transfiguration class with 'Exceeds Expectations', quickly picked up her book and began flicking through it. She had to concentrate a lot in Transfiguration.

"Alright then, Stebbins, would you be as kind to read the first paragraph for us," Professor McGonagall instructed, going to her desk and picking up her own copy, "Louder, boy, if you will."

Then she stopped entirely. She was staring, transfixed plainly by horror, in Lily's direction.

No one noticed at first; they were all busy looking down at their own textbooks while Stebbins read out loud. Once he had finished, however, and their teacher failed to make any relations to the paragraph, people began to look up.

"Professor?"

Professor McGonagall swallowed and managed to say, "Miss... Evans. What on _earth_ are you... _reading_?"

Lily looked startled. She glanced down at her textbook.

"Um, my textbook," she replied, a bit confused.

"Oh really?" Professor McGonagall looked outraged now as she stood up and walked out from behind her desk.

"_Why_, Miss Evans, does your book have a such a _revolting_ display on the front cover?" she asked in cold fury.

Even more confused, Lily turned her book over, then shrieked and dropped it. On the cover of her Transfiguration textbook was the title, "The Sexual Book Of Sex" and a moving picture of two people... participating in _private_ activities.

Horrified, Lily looked up at the furious Professor, unable to explain why her book had such a cover. The other students were all standing up and peering to get a better look.

"I - I - I didn't know!" she squealed, feeling absolutely helpless. Her book had been perfectly normal just a couple of moments ago - what had happened?

"Is this supposed to be a joke, Miss Evans?" Professor McGonagall wanted to know. She sounded less angry; now she sounded disappointed. Obviously she hadn't expected this from one of her favourite pupils.

"No!" Lily exclaimed, "I don't know how it happened, Professor, honestly!"

At the back, Sirius and Remus were glaring at a smug James.

"Well," Professor McGonagall cast a horrified look at Lily as she crossed her arms, plainly trying to pull herself together, "I didn't expect this sort of behaviour from you, Miss Evans. I'm afraid I will have to deduct points from Gryffindor for this obscene display, and you will serve detention with me tonight. Yes, Miss Evans, detention."

Lily's lips trembled.

Detention.

She had never received one in all her life.

"But - " she uttered, still shaking, "Professor, please - "

"I'm sorry, but that is my final word," Professor McGonagall said curtly, though with something like pity. She, however, seemed to shoot James a very knowing and slightly threatening look as she ordered, "Potter, would _you_ perhaps know the counter curse to fix this... _mess_?"

She said "mess" in a tone of absolute revulsion.

"Me, professor?" James said, sounding most sincerely innocent and surprised, "Well, I suppose I might have something up my sleeve..." he smirked as he produced his wand.

"Enough of your fooling around," Professor McGonagall snapped, making James scowl, "Just do it if you please, Potter."

"Certainly," James said icily, though with respect. With a flick of his wand and some muttered words, he looked up and said soberly, "It's done, Professor."

Lily hastily wiped her eyes that had welled up in tears; she was still shaking as the situation sunk in, overwhelming her. It all seemed so _unreal_ and so nightmarishly wrong.

"Thank you," Professor McGonagall said brusquely, "Miss Evans, would you please read the next paragraph out for us?"

Lily took in a deep breath and steadied her voice, "Um - " she clumsily turned the pages in her haste, "Yes, Pro - Professor." With a great stab of effort, Lily began to read out loud in what she hoped was her normal voice.

Sirius nudged James sharply as if to say, "see what you've done?"

To be honest, James felt a tiny, tiny, miniscule stab of pity for the redhead, which was gone in almost an instant. Well, she _deserved_ it, didn't she?

When the bell rang again, signalling the end of Transfiguration, Lily didn't move a single muscle. Professor McGonagall had asked her to remain behind, but she couldn't get up anyway. She felt fragile and delicate; she was still shocked and felt sick at what had happened.

"Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall said once the last few students had left the classroom; Lily looked up reluctantly, telling herself to stop shaking.

"I understand there has been adversity between you and Mr. Potter," the teacher said tersely, walking towards the redhead, "Potter's behaviour is hardly Head Boy worthy, but Professor Dumbledore must have his reasons," she paused for a moment and the disfavouring look in her eyes plainly told Lily she did not agree with Professor Dumbledore at all, whether tolerable reason or not, "Miss Evans, that textbook display was barbaric, foul and repulsive. I hope you understand the seriousness of this concept; amusing it may be to you teenagers, but think of the younger students and how much trouble it would have stirred, particularly among the parents and guardians!"

Lily felt her eyes smarting in pain as she stared at her desk and choked out, "I didn't do it, Professor! Please... I wouldn't do something like that... I'm sorry..."

There was a momentary silence.

When Lily had calmed herself down, she looked up again.

To her surprise, Professor McGonagall looked a tad bit anxious and worried as she took a step closer and leant down.

"Miss Evans," she whispered urgently, "I know you are not to blame, but I'm afraid we have no proof of otherwise, and with so many witness justice must be served. You will serve detention with me later tonight - please, Miss Evans, it is really not that awful - and I must say this: tread carefully around James Potter. He is a boy you should not perplex - or trifle with any further."

"Why?" Lily cried jarringly, "He needs a good lesson!"

Professor McGonagall patted her shoulder sympathetically, "You would be asking for more pain and suffering than you can imagine. Potter will only bring further sorrow and hardship."

"I'm not doing anything to _him_, he's the one who keeps biting," Lily muttered angrily, hoping she didn't sound too rude.

"Miss Evans, you know I have your best interests at heart..." Professor McGonagall paused; Lily had never seen her so uneasy, "Please keep your head and don't do anything that might provoke him further... you will regret it later."

Lily didn't like what she was hearing, even though she _had_ decided herself that she would ignore James and everything he tried to unbalance her... but _honestly_. How could a teacher be acting like this? Especially Professor McGonagall, who was fair and strict.

"Alright," she finally murmured in consent, unable to think of something to say.

Professor McGonagall patted her on the shoulder again, "Alright, Miss Evans, you may leave. I'll see you tonight at seven o'clock in my office. I assure you it won't be anything too raucous, so you needn't look so worried."

Lily had stood up and was silently pushing her things into her bag. She stared at the ground and maintained a stony silence.

"Remember what I told you, Miss Evans."

Nodding stiffly, Lily turned and walked out of the classroom, feeling Professor McGonagall's eyes burning into her back. Once she was out in the corridor, she sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling for a sign of help. _How_ could this happen? _How_ could Dumbledore come up with such a _stupid_ idea so that it led to her fighting with James? _How_ could James be so cruel? Did he even have a heart?

And now she had a detention. The first time she had ever, ever, _ever_ gotten into trouble at Hogwarts. Her perfect record was blemished. Just like how her face was blemished. All Potter did was blemish what had been a perfect life that she had worked _so hard_ to build up.

Lily's hand tightened on her bag as tears burned into her eyes; hot, angry tears at the injustice of all this. She hadn't done _anything_ wrong, she was the bloody victim, and now she was being punished!

She was so enraged that she only half-noticed she had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. She stared at her, still seething with anger, while the Fat Lady looked at her in polite confusion.

"Password, dear? ...Dear?"

"I..." Lily forgot about her fury for a moment, and felt rather wrong-footed. It took her a moment to remember that she no longer went to the Gryffindor common-room once classes had ceased for the day.

"Oh... sorry," Lily muttered, turning on her heel.

"LILY!"

Rinoa was running towards her, her shining black hair flying behind her.

"Lily, hey! What are you doing here?" she asked jubilantly, "Chocolate shuffles."

"Correct," the Fat Lady allowed access into the common-room, and the sound of happy chatter and laughter floated out. To her horror, Lily felt a lump rise in her throat.

Rinoa noticed this almost instantly, as a best friend does, and grabbed onto Lily's arm firmly to steer her inside. Lily let herself be pulled along. She had trouble gathering her emotions at the moment.

They sat themselves down in a quiet, remote corner of the common-room, away from everybody else who were occupied doing goodness knew what.

"Lily," Rinoa said quietly, "Are you alright?"

Lily did not say anything.

"I... I've got detention," she finally replied, her eyes fixed onto a piece of fluff on her skirt.

Rinoa did a double-take; she gasped and stared at Lily with wide brown eyes.

"_Detention_? _You_? How?" she asked at once, looking stricken and aghast.

Lily explained very slowly and ruefully. The anger that had pulsed through her veins only moments ago was gone now, and she felt drained and wretched. She wasn't paying attention to what she was saying; inside, she was dreading the detention that had to be served soon.

"That - " Rinoa called James something that made Lily look up and say reproachfully, "Rinoa!", " - how _could_ he? How could anyone be so... ARGH! Lily, you're getting walked all over! Exactly the reason why you _didn't_ pick up that ruddy book when he ordered you to!"

"I know," Lily bit her lip and sighed, "Why is life so hard?"

Rinoa was highly ticked off, "Go to Dumbledore! He can't let this happen! And what's wrong with McGonagall, anyhow? Actually _punishing_ someone for something she _knows_ they didn't do! And _you_! What are you letting this happen to you? Have you lost your marbles, Lily?"

"Yes, she has," giggled a third-year girl nearby. Her group of friends exploded in laughter, all glancing at Lily stringently.

Lily sighed faintly for what seemed like the umpteenth time, while Rinoa turned to glare at the girls so dangerously that they seemed to shrink.

"Sod off, you little brats!" Rinoa shouted, grabbing her bottle of ink and flinging it over at them. The girls shrieked and scattered as the black ink splashed onto them.

"Rinoa!" Lily exclaimed squeamishly.

"What?" the latter said aggressively, turning to Lily with a brutal look as she set the now empty ink bottle onto the table.

Lily looked at her for a couple of seconds.

"Thanks," she said faintly, smiling. Rinoa grinned at her.

"So," Lily said in an attempt to sound airy, "How was Divination?"

"Fine," Rinoa said dismissively, "Of course, the random stupid girls coming up to me after class and asking if I _am_ really Lily Evans' friend, and how could I... bla, bla, bla... yeah, does it look like I give a Hippogriff's arse?"

Lily found it immensely difficult to bring herself to even smile.

"You didn't get anymore rubbish from anyone in Transfiguration, did you?" Rinoa demanded, "Not after that horrid prank James pulled?"

Lily shook her head. Then she remembered the letter.

"Oh yeah, I received some mail," she said with a hollow laugh. She searched through her bag and pulled out the pink envelope, "It's very polite, really."

Frowning, Rinoa took it and read the letter. She looked up in exasperation at Lily, "What a waste of paper."

"I reckon," Lily said with a bit of a sigh as she took the letter back. She glanced down at it and noticed the, "Don't prod this with your wand."

"I wonder what would happen if I did," she said out loud.

"Huh?"

Lily pointed at the murky-green spot.

Rinoa looked fearful, "Don't, Lily."

But Lily had already pulled out her wand, feeling reckless and daring. Nothing worse could happen, right? And if it did... well, what would it matter? Her life was a mess now.

"Lily," Rinoa said pleadingly, edging away as she eyed the wand.

"What?" Lily said gloatingly, twisting her wand in her fingers as it went dangerously close to the spot, "It says _not_ to, and why should I listen to these delusional girls?"

"Honestly, Lily!" Rinoa snapped, "Of course they'd say that to make you do it!"

"Well they succeeded," Lily said haughtily, looking beside herself. Rinoa shrieked, "NO!" and tumbled backwards off her armchair, but a split second later Lily had jabbed her wand at the bulging green spot with unnecessary force.

Jets of Bubotuber pus shot out in one direction - straight into Lily's face. It splattered all over her head; in her eyes, in her hair, in her mouth, and some even went up her nose.

Rinoa peered up from the ground.

That section of the common-room had gone quiet.

Lily spat out a mouthful of pus and tentatively tried to wipe it off her eyelids. Her eyes were burning with unwanted tears as the substance stung her.

Then, very slowly, tinkling laughter spread out across the room. People put their heads together and whispered, fleetingly pointing and then giggling obnoxiously.

"Great Merlin, I told you not to touch it!" Rinoa exclaimed hotly, rushing over to Lily as she desperately tried to wipe it off her face, "Stop that, you're just making it worse! - Well, thank God it's diluted, that'll get rid of those pimples, but you're not supposed to get it in your eyes."

"I know!" Lily retorted angrily, her eyes squeezed shut, "Oh, I'm just going to go to the wing again!"

"You can't even see! Here, let me get you there - "

Rinoa dragged her out of the common-room, watched by all the Gryffindors.

"That girl puts up with a lot of... poppycock," Sirius said resignedly, as Lily and Rinoa fled out of the portrait hole.

"A lot of _what_?"

"Rubbish," Sirius replaced helpfully.

"Oooh... yeah," Remus sighed, "Just a little while before she cracks... if she already hasn't. I kinda feel sorry for James now - Lily doesn't seem like the type of person you'd want to be angry at you."

"Angry?" Sirius said in disbelief, "With everything he's done to her, I'd be surprised if James doesn't lose his Father's Day..."

Remus shook his head darkly.

---

"Lily, slow down - "

"I WILL NOT SLOW DOWN! I CAN'T BLOODY SEE!"

"Which is why you have to slow down - "

"I NEED TO GET THIS STUFF OFF ME, RINOA!"

"OKAY, OKAY, BUT YOU KEEP RUNNING INTO WALLS!"

"ARE WE THERE YET?"

"ALMOST! CAN YOU STOP YELLING? PEOPLE ARE STARING."

"THEY'D STARE, REGARDLESS, BECAUSE MY FACE IS COVERED IN CRAP! AND EVEN IF IT WASN'T, THEY'D STILL STARE, BECAUSE JAMES-BLOODY-POTTER HAS MADE EVERYONE HATE ME!"

"WHAT'S ALL THIS FUSS?" thundered Madam Violen, appearing at the doorway of the wing with a hawk-like look.

Rinoa was suddenly timid, "Please, Madam, can you help Lily again?"

"What's wrong with her _now_?" Madam Violen asked through pursed lips, "Good heavens, girl! You are nothing but a walking disaster. Yes, come in, come in, and take care not to drip any of that gunk on the floor or I'll have you polishing the whole wing tonight!"

"I already have bloody detention with McGonagall tonight!" Lily hollered, out-of-control. Her eyes were still shut as Rinoa led her in. She nudged Lily with a frightened look, but Madam Violen, to her surprise, smiled indulgently as she took them to a bed.

"Getting hell from Potter, are we?" she asked in a more human voice, getting a bowl of fresh, clear water, "You shouldn't anger that boy, that's all I can say." She took a towel and started wiping Lily's face. After ten minutes, Lily's face, hair and hands were clean again.

"Thanks, Madam Violen," she said gratefully.

"Hmph, your eyes may twinge a bit tonight, so be sure to take these eye drops before you go to bed for the next week or so. I must say, the pus has been useful at least; your acne has cleared up completely."

"Has it?" Lily said hopefully. She looked at her reflection and smiled. She almost felt perfectly content now.

"Right, well you two girls get to dinner, and don't ever let me catch you in here in that state again."

Rinoa and Lily walked out of the hospital wing with a lighter step than when they had come. Lily was smiling very faintly as she walked, but then the dreamy expression disappeared and was replaced with alarm.

"What's the time?"

"Almost six."

"Okay," and Lily began walking much faster.

"Oi! Where's the fire?" Rinoa wanted to know, jogging to keep up.

"I have detention at seven. Before that, I have to eat my dinner," Lily said indifferently, her head raised haughtily and her strides long and confident.

For some reason, the sudden change in her mood worried Rinoa.

"Err - aren't you supposed to cook dinner yourself?"

"We're allowed to eat in the Great Hall if it's absolutely necessary," Lily replied, "And this is absolutely necessary."

As they were walking to the Great Hall, they took a shortcut through one of the wider corrdors. There were a few people ahead of them. Lily recognised one of them to be James Potter. She clenched her fists and bit hard on her tongue.

He seemed to be in rather of a hurry as he strode purposefully and quickly.

"Oh, great," Rinoa muttered.

"Out of my way," James said loudly, as he reached three boys who were blocking his way (yet he could have looped around them). He seized the shoulder of the boy on the far left and shoved him aside with such force that he rammed face first into the wall.

"Oi!" one of the other boys exclaimed angrily, "You brute - "

"Shut it, pygmy," James said scathingly without even turning around.

"POTTER!"

Lily was actually stricken with anger. She was shaking as she had done so often this past week. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down, she started to take long and strong strides towards him.

James froze entirely. Then he slowly turned around, a smirk in place.

"Hello, Evans," he said pleasantly.

"Potter - what - is - _wrong with you?_" she shrilled in a voice that was beyond reason; beyond rage, and her foot flew out of nowhere and made contact with his shin.

James swore so loudly and distastefully that it made one of the first-year boys snigger. Rinoa was crouching down to the boy who had sunk onto the ground in a crumpled heap. Blood was flowing down the lower half of his face, from his nose. As Lily glanced at the group of them helping him up, she realised the victim was Jason, Rinoa's cousin.

"What's wrong with _you_?" he howled, clutching at his knee in pain, "D'you just go around kicking people?"

"No, I go around kicking arrogant, conceited toerags like yourself!" Lily's face was contorted and wretched, "How can you do such a thing? How the hell do you manage to push younger students so roughly that they get nose-bleeds, and then walk off as if nothing's happened? You really amaze me sometimes, Potter. I thought you were low enough when you got all het up just because I didn't pick up your book; thought you were even below pathetic when you started hexing me, but _now_..." Lily shook her head, "You are the most heartless and self-centered person I have ever met. Do you even have a soul? Do you know how to _feel?_ I don't think you deserve to be in Gryffindor. Slytherin suits you beyond reason."

They were all looking at her, open-mouthed.

"What - what's that supposed to be mean?" James asked, a bit stupefied. _How_ did she do this? How did she confuse him and make him feel even a bit... _hurt?_

One thing was for sure; this girl was not normal.

Lily laughed brutally, "And they say you're smart... Potter, you're dimmer than a troll."

And she jumped on top of his right foot, making sure to put extra force on it. He yelped in pain and pushed her off, leaping back at the same time.

"_That_," Lily said maliciously, "Is for the detention I have tonight."

James glared at her but apparently was unable to say anything; perhaps he didn't have anything to say except for a string of vulgar swear words.

"What, Potter?" Lily asked him, sounding angry again, "You feel free to curse and hex me behind my back, but when it comes to a proper fight you can't say anything? Not as brave as you make out, huh? Bet you can't fight one-on-one."

She had touched a nerve, just as she had intended.

"You - shut - up," James said furiously, looking positively livid now, "You're a blasted _girl_, I wouldn't dream of fighting you. A man duels a man. You duel someone your own size."

"Whereas you shove first-years into walls," Lily said coolly.

James walked up to her, looking apprehensive yet determined, "You want to fight? _Fine_. You're right; I've been fighting you this whole time. The pimples, the hurling, your _first ever_ detention," he smiled nastily, "So why don't you fight _back_?"

"Fine," Lily said serenely, "_I will_." And she drew out her wand from underneath her robes and yelled, "_Tarantallegra_!"

James' legs were suddenly doing a frenzied tap-dance. He yelped and waved his arms about. Lily laughed cruelly as he danced around, trying to balance himself, bouncing off the walls. In just the matter of seconds, he worked out the rhythm his feet were dancing to, and used that to dance his way down and around the corner of the corridor. It had only been a few seconds of amusement, thought Lily, but there was still the fact that he'd look like a fool to everyone he passed.

Serves him right.

The git.

With a deep sigh of satisfaction, Lily turned around to see Rinoa, Jason and his two friends gaping at her. She suddenly blushed. She hadn't meant for them to see her lose her temper.

"Er - " she started timidly, clearing her throat. She wished they would stop gawking at her.

Then, very slowly, Jason brought up his hands and began to clap. His two friends followed suit almost immediately, both of them grinning up at her. Rinoa still looked stunned. Then she beamed as well and started to applaud.

Lily was heartily embarrassed but beamed all the same. She made her way back to them.

"That was bloody brilliant!" exclaimed one of the boys enthusiastically.

"Yeah, where'd you learn to kick like that?"

Rinoa chuckled, "Hey, take up a tae-kwon-do class during the summer. You'll learn heaps."

Lily laughed and knelt down, "Hey Jason, maybe you should go to the hospital wing. That looks bad."

"Yeah," Jason attempted to stem the flow of blood with his sleeve, "Maybe I should..."

"C'mon mate, let's go," one of his friends said, putting Jason's arm around his neck, "Hey Charlie, take the other side."

"Thanks, Lily!" the one named Charlie called as he walked off supporting Jason.

"Yeah, thanks!"

And the two girls heard them talking excitedly about Lily and her little run in with James. They sounded impressed and awed, as only eleven-year-olds could.

Rinoa looked almost as pale as Jason had been.

"That really was brilliant, Lil," she whispered, "Man... he made me so furious as well, but I was more worried about Jason..."

Lily smiled; she felt more cheerful than she had in days.

"He'll be fine, it's just a nosebleed. And Madam Violen may be a bit scary, but she's really good at patching people up. I'm just worried how many people Potter has done this to. And how many people he _will_ do this to."

Rinoa nodded slowly as they made their way to the Great Hall, "It doesn't stop, does it? So... you still set on ignoring him?" she grinned at her cheekily.

"Ignoring him?" Lily said loftily, walking between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. She snorted, "I think not. He asked for trouble, he's getting it._ This means war_."

Rinoa laughed, "Glad to finally hear it."

---

Detention with Professor McGonagall really wasn't as bad as Lily had initially dreaded. She was asked to file some cabinets. What Lily found more uncomfortable was that Professor McGonagall kept warning her not to provoke James, etc; etc;. Lily felt a bit guilty, knowing that she was just going to make matters worse by fighting back, but at the same time, felt ten times better knowing she was going to do _something._

Professor McGonagall kept her in for no longer than an hour, much to Lily's relief.

Lily felt content for the next two weeks, which passed by uneventfully enough. Though she had been predicting it to be otherwise, James did not do anything to her during that fortnight. She had a nice, peaceful time, except for the occasional unpleasant letter or comment from outraged girls.

The amount of time the seventh-years were expected to study were alarming; they had never had more workload, even in fifth-year. With all the homework and revision they were doing, even though it was just the beginning of the school year, the days passed by fairly quickly. Until, to the alarm of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team's Captain, the much-anticipated match of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin was just five days away.

"How the hell did it arrive so quickly?" James muttered ill-temperedly, as he flipped feverishly through his textbook, trying to finish his essay at the last minute.

"Well... Joyce did keep reminding you it was coming soon," Sirius whispered back; he was also on the team, serving as a Beater.

"I think it's a shock to everyone," Remus put in quietly, burying his nose in his book, "I mean, we've had so much to keep up with, the last thing on our minds was a match."

"It wasn't the _last_ thing on my mind," James murmured, disgruntled, "And I _knew_ it was coming... it's just..." he trailed off, looking sullen. The reason, actually, was that he had been fretting over Lily Evans. His shin still bore a bruise, and he was hungry for revenge. Yet he was a little afraid of her, because she didn't seem afraid of _him_.

And that's what worried him the most.

Lily's words had had some _sort of_ affect; James took care not to shove firsties aside, and even mumbled an incoherent apology when he _accidentally_ pushed a _third-year_ into a bench.

He wasn't _listening_ to her... she had just enlightened him on a thing or two, that was all.

He'd _never_ listen to her.

Not Lily Evans. She was bloody mean.

Quite a few people had looked at James oddly when they saw him tap-dancing down the corridor, bellowing at them to perform the counter-curse. They had cast him a frightened look and quickly walked away.

Such dim people, they were.

Couldn't they see he wasn't dancing off on his own will?

The reason the Marauders were keeping their voices down was because they were in the library; it was always easier to get work down in there, as there were much less distractions.

"We haven't had many practices either," James muttered darkly, "I wouldn't be surprised if we lost."

"How could you say that? We have never, in my memory, lost to Slytherin."

"Prongs is just being modest."

"Modest? He doesn't know how to be."

Remus and Sirius sniggered, and James ignored them. They were the few people who could get away with making fun of him. He continued to scribble on his parchment, making up lengthy sentences that contained fancy adjectives to make it look more impressive. Remus and Sirius had already completed theirs'. Remus was starting on another piece of homework that was due in a month's time, and Sirius was writing a letter. Peter was also trying to finish his essay; he kept sneaking looks at James'.

James turned his quill around in his head, drumming his fingers on the soft parchment.

Think, he told himself, _What else can I write?_

He looked up and glanced around the library impatiently. His eyes fell on the letter Sirius was writing, and he pondered on that for awhile. Sirius hardly ever wrote letters; he didn't have anyone to write to, really. But lately he had been receiving mail and been sending it, too. James wondered who he was writing to, but then dismissed the thought. He'd ask later; his essay was more important.

James grabbed his book and turned to a random page, searching for something, _anything_ that would be appropriate to put down.

"Isn't he cute?"

"Ooooh, I _love_ his hair!"

James looked up before he could stop himself, and spotted two girls prowling about behind the bookshelves, peering at him. When they saw him looking, they squealed and ran into each other; they both stumbled off, giggling behind their hands.

James shook his head.

Even at Hogwarts he couldn't get away from it.

Really, sometimes, he felt resentful towards the fact that he was so dashingly good-looking. He _knew_ he was handsome, thank you, and he didn't need thousands of giggling girls to assure him of that anymore further. Even he admitted all the admiration was getting annoying.

And we all know how conceited he is.

"Bloody girls, don't they have a life?" he muttered, feeling irritated. It was then he noticed that, indeed, the library seemed to be _full_ of girls, all who kept sneaking looks at him before quickly glancing back down at their books.

"Gee, Prongs, you must be the first bloke I've ever met who isn't pleased he's got all the girls in love with him," Sirius chuckled without looking up.

James was looking beadily around the library, silently telling the girls to STOP looking at him. They didn't seem to realise he was sending them an unfriendly message. They blushed and giggled to the point where the librarian came over and sent them out. Well, James decided, whatever works to make them stop.

There seemed to be only one table that was completely silent. James felt compelled to look over and saw (his stomach knitted itself in tight knots) a redhead, a raven-haired girl and a blonde one. They were accompanied by three other brunettes.

A sudden desire struck James; he wanted to get Lily into trouble. She probably thought he had stopped 'fighting' her, as they had both so honestly put it at their last meeting. Well, she was wrong.

James grinned. He had forgotten how much fun it had been tormenting her.

He found it odd how he barely saw her, considering they were living 'together'. Then again, it really wasn't _that_ odd, as he had been avoiding her. She was already gone when he woke up, and had eaten breakfast too by the looks of it. James always saw fresh toast crusts in the bin, and she had a habit of leaving some crumbs on the table. Then they lived the rest of the day out of their tower; James usually returned when it was almost midnight. He made his friends sneak food from the table so he could eat dinner in his good old dormitory which he missed. By the time he was back, Lily was already shut in her room.

Their house-cleaning was a bit more complicated. They had, unintentionally, worked out how to clean between themselves, without having to see each other. When they had bumped into each other in the laundry room on a Saturday evening, they had stopped going there at that time ever since. James did his laundry on a Thursday morning, right before classes, and Lily did hers on a Monday evening. Whoever was in the living room when it was too messy would do the cleaning. Somehow, Lily always ended up tidying it more often, but James still did his fair share.

As for washing up and cooking, they cleaned up after themselves and cooked for themselves. James, however, had not cooked anything at all since the idea had been put into action. For breakfast he had something like a banana, and then ate dinner from the 'rations' his friends brought him. He had huge lunches and lived off little snacks.

As well as all this, Lily and James were required to purchase their own food. Dumbledore supplied them with a regular amount of fake Galleons, Sickles and Knuts every fortnight, and they used the money to buy food from a little shop that had been set up down in the kitchens. The house-elves had been ordered to accept the fake coins, which they did reluctantly. James took advantage of this to sneak more food from the more-than-willing house-elves.

The next time he had returned, there was a huge note from Lily saying that he was not to do that anymore, and underneath was a signature of approval from Professor Dumbledore.

Lily Evans was _impossible_.

"Prongs," Peter was prodding him, "_Prongs_."

"Huh, what?" James turned his head, startled, and his elbow gave way so that he almost hit the table with his chin. The kerfuffle made lots of people turn and stare. Even Lily looked up. James immediately jerked his head back up and propped his elbow on the table again. Lily raised an eyebrow, then looked back down at her work again, an indulgent smile forming across her face.

"...covering your essay," Peter was saying in exasperated tones he had copied from James.

James felt himself going hot around the collar and wouldn't be surprised if his face was red. He felt anger and humiliated; how _dare_ she look at him like that!

"Here, take it," James said irritably, shoving the parchment into Peter's hands.

He was glad Remus and Sirius hadn't noticed anything.

Telling himself that he couldn't do anything now that Peter had his work, James lowered his eyes and snuck another look at Lily, wondering what he could do. He figured he'd go for something minor just for now.

James hovered a fragment of an inch above his chair and caught a glimpse of her work; she had started on another sheet of parchment. Great Merlin, how much did she write?

He faked a cough and in doing so managed another glimpse - he saw that she had written at least a paragraph.

Perfect.

He glanced around him. Several heads hastily looked back down. James rolled his eyes. His friends were all more or less occupied, and the distressed librarian was sending more students packing.

Very quietly and with as little movement as possible, James slipped out his wand. Very few people knew the spell he was planning to cast, so he was very proud that he was able to do it properly. However, he hadn't quite mastered the art of casting it non-verbally, but that was still alright.

"_Incendo astius_," he murmured very, very quietly, his wand pointed.

"What did you say?" Sirius asked, looking up.

"Nothing," James replied breezily, keeping an eye on Lily's table.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the redhead suddenly shrieked, leaping up and sending her chair flying backwards. Her friends all jumped and squealed in fright, backing away as Lily hysterically waved her piece of parchment up and down. A small flame was burning a hole through it

Smiling, James grabbed back his own essay from Peter ("Wha?") and pretended to be absorbed in writing it.

The librarian appeared by the girls so suddenly it was as though she had Apparated. She began telling them off severely, and told them to pack and leave at once, and not to return until the next day.

As Lily packed up her things, she turned and shot a nasty look at James. He had been looking up at her and didn't look down this time. Instead, he smiled in a, "Yeah? Can I help you?" sort of way.

Rolling her eyes, Lily turned back around and finished her packing. She left the library with her friends.

"That was you, wasn't it?" Remus asked in a low voice, watching them walk out.

"What if it was?" James asked loftily, picking up his quill and resuming back to his work. He smiled as he copied a likely-looking line from the textbook.

Sirius yawned silently, stretching back as he did so. He threw down his quill and began doing what he called 'relaxing exercises' to his hands.

"I think that's enough for now," he said wearily.

"Who're you writing to, anyway?" James asked, glancing at his textbook again.

"Lydia."

James' head shot up at once, "Lydia? You mean Lydia-Lydia?"

"Yeah," Sirius gave him a funny look, "You know Lyds."

"You're writing to her? And she's writing back?" James demanded so loudly that everyone looked at him.

Sirius nodded as he rolled up his letter, and smiled fondly, "Remember how we stole her bikini last summer? Hahaha... that was funny."

James didn't smile. Indeed, he looked more displeased and moody than he had all day. "Letters," he muttered under his breath, "What good are they?" And he peevishly poked a hole through his parchment.

----------

A/N: Ooooh... James is a moody little sod, is he not? Hehe. Hihi again. :) _(waves)_ How are you all today? HERE'S YOUR CHAPTER! I actually finished watching Full House, and I absolutely _adored_ it. This story is going to be based on it A LOT. Hehe. So... it may kind of turn into a clone because Full House was so good. :S But I'll try to keep it original as well! Hehe. Anyway, this chapter was supposed to contain MORE STUFF... but it turned out so long already, I thought I'd just post it now. Yay! So I really hope you enjoyed reading this. If you did, could you please drop a review? Hehe. :) --MSQ.

PS. Your best friend. (Just pick one for those who have more than one.) Do they have a **T** somewhere in their full name? YOU'RE SPECIAL TODAY! Haha. More of you should be special this time. :) Hmm... I'm not special today. Waaaaaaaah. Hehe. I dunno what a bubsy is, actually. That was just random. But there was this Sega game I used to play called Bubsy. Twas a cat who wore a white sweater, he had nine lives and collected yarn balls, and you had to make him jump on these orange alien-thingies and they'd POOF disappear. Mad game, it was. :D


	7. Quidditch, Girls, Boggarts

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Seven ll Quidditch, Girls, Boggarts**

----------

The sky was clear and pale blue; a good omen. The members of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team were relaxed and confident as they ate a healthy breakfast. James, however, was not so calm.

"Five practices this year, and now we have a match!" he exclaimed disbelievingly, "We aren't ready for this, dammit!"

"Calm _down_," Joyce Siberling told him, "We'll be _fine_. When have we lost to Anderson's team? Remember last year when you missed the match last year because you were in the wing? We still beat them."

"Just barely, though," Sirius pointed out, "Slytherin caught the Snitch since we had a really shoddy Seeker, but thanks to you girls we won the match."

The three Chasers beamed.

"Alright, enough of this. Chapman, you're going to be as fat as a giant if you keep eating like that," James said snappishly, "EVERYONE DOWN TO THE CHANGE ROOM. _NOW_!"

"What crawled up his arse," Lori Chapman muttered to the other two Chasers as they walked out of the Great Hall.

"Yay, Quidditch today!" Rinoa was saying happily down at the other end of the table. She was wearing a scarlet-and-gold rosette to show her support in Gryffindor.

"Keep your voice down!" Crysta hissed, glancing around her nervously.

"What's up with you?" Rinoa asked brightly, "C'mon eat something, you'll feel better!" She began piling Crysta's plate with sausages. Crysta batted her hand away ill-temperedly.

"No! I don't feel like eating. Besides, how disgusting are those sausages?"

"They're yummy," Lily input helpfully through a mouthful of it. Rinoa grinned at her, and both of them were feeling so elated they burst out laughing.

Crysta smiled rather disdainfully.

"Where's your scarf, Cry?" Rinoa demanded cheerfully as they got up, ready to walk out to the ever-green Quidditch pitch, "It's going to be mighty cold out there!"

"I, personally, will not be going to the match," Crysta said ruefully, not looking at Rinoa as she talked.

Lily gaped at her, "Why not? Gryffindor needs us!"

Crysta raised an eyebrow, "What use are we? We're not on the team or anything."

"We're showing our support!" Lily exclaimed indignantly, "C'mon Cry, you _always_ love watching the gorgeous-gorgeous-gorgeous guys play Quidditch."

"An ugly little rosette isn't going to help _anyone_; besides, Gryffindor always wins. I have that essay to finish, and I need to revise as well," Crysta replied haughtily, and she suddenly looked at them severely, "And _you two_ should be as well. We have N.E.W.T's coming up, there's no time to watch a sodding Quidditch game!"

"Well, they're fun," Rinoa said in a final sort of way, grabbing Lily's arm before she could retaliate, "Have a ball, Crysta!" And she walked off jubilantly, pulling Lily with her.

"Honestly, that girl's gone a bit funny," Lily said with a frown, looking back and seeing Crysta flounce off to the Gryffindor tower.

"Ah, forget her; she's always been nuts in an unnatural way," Rinoa said dismissively, "Let us go have fun!"

"Maybe I should skip this match too," Lily said anxiously, "I have to finish my essay too. If only Potter hadn't burnt my other one..."

"Aw, Lily!" Rinoa exclaimed, stricken, "You _have_ to come. We have never, in the history of our lives, missed a Quidditch match, and I personally think that's why we win all of them. Three stunningly pretty girls coming to show their support - how _can_ we lose? Besides, it's not like he destroyed your entire essay - he only burnt a hole in a blank spot on your _third_ sheet of parchment."

"Yeah, I know, but I would've been able to finish it that night in the library if Madam Patraya hadn't thrown us out!" Lily was still rankling in her annoyance at James, "Which reminds me, I need to get that prat back..."

"Well never mind that for now," Rinoa said impatiently as they strolled down the green hills, hudding together to stay warm, "Look, I can see red-and-gold from here!"

Rinoa was a Quidditch fanatic; she flew alright but couldn't catch, pass, seek or score to save her own life.

"Mmmm," Lily replied absently.

They chose their seats in the stands, which were crowded, but not as full as they usually were. Like Crysta, it seemed like most seventh- and fifth-years had chosen to stay indoors with their books instead of enjoying the fresh air.

"This is going to good," Rinoa whispered delightedly, squeezing into her seat. Beside her, Lily did the same. Surrounding girls edged away a little, casting her surly looks, and the girls beside her and Rinoa actually stood up and sat somewhere else. Rinoa snorted, unwound her scarf and plopped it on the now vacant seat, saying, "More room for us."

Lily had to smile.

They sat there for a couple of minutes, waiting for the match to begin. Rinoa was talking enthusiastically about the Quidditch World Cup, and Lily was half-listening. She was thinking about all the hexes and curses she knew; she had come across many rare and interesting ones in her readings.

" - the pass was really insane, honestly, it flew from his fingertips and - "

"Is this seat taken?"

" - kind of travelled on this invisible fishing wire - at least it looked like that - and, sorry?" Rinoa glanced up in the middle of her ranting. Remus was standing above her, with something like an affectionate yet cautious smile.

"Oh, um," Rinoa floundered around and grabbed her scarf, "Not anymore!"

Remus grinned, "Good." He sat down to reveal Peter, who had been standing behind him.

"Oh, right, sorry mate I forgot about you for a moment," Remus said apologetically; he glanced down the row, "Look, there's a seat beside Lily."

Peter went pink and muttered something, glancing at the ground.

"What?" Remus leaned closer, frowning. Peter, still pink, whispered something into his ear. Remus' expression hardened and he rolled his eyes, "Oh, _honestly_... she only did that to him because he deserved it. ...Alright, alright. Err - Lily?"

"Yeah?" Lily was jerked out of her thinking, "Oh, hi Remus."

"Hello. Can you move down one, please?"

"Oh..." Lily looked at the person a seat away from her; he was a boy. Figuring she wouldn't cause a commotion if she sat beside him, she replied, "Sure!" and shuffled across.

Once the seating arrangements were done, they all settled back. Rinoa fell quiet and stared at the pitch stonily, where the match was beginning. Lily looked at her oddly as the rest of them stood up and cheered, waving flags and whatnot.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked quietly.

"Nothing," Rinoa said shortly, watching as the Gryffindor players flew out after being introduced one by one.

Lily looked at the pitch and sighed. She watched as James shook hands with Anderson, both with an extremely grim expression on his face. For a moment, she tried to figure out who she hated more.

Even Potter wasn't as bad as Anderson.

Rinoa was still maintaining a stony silence as the balls were released. Lily nudged her hard in the ribs, caushing her to yelp, "OW!"

Remus turned to look at her, "Are you alright?"

"Oh. Yeah. Great," Rinoa grinned. When he turned back to watch the game, she turned around to Lily and gave her the evil-eye.

"_You_ - " Lily pointed at her, " - _are acting_ - " she put on a cheesy grin and began moving her hands about like she was dancing.

"What the heck is - " Rinoa threw her arms around as if she was swimming.

Lily narrowed her eyes.

"You're acting odd, lady!" she finally hissed at Rinoa.

"_Am - not_!"

"Are too!" Lily elbowed her again.

Rinoa elbowed her back with extra force.

Clutching her ribs, Lily jabbed her with her finger. Rinoa poked her back, and in a matter of seconds they were involved in a violent nudging war that was completely silent and went unnoticed by the people around them.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

The girls both stopped at once; Rinoa forgot her newfound sullenness and leapt up with the rest of the Gryffindors, screaming with victory and waving her arms above her head in an obscure way. Lily and Remus were cheering too, though Remus died down a bit to shoot Rinoa a bemused look.

"Fan of Quidditch, huh?" he asked her when she sat down.

"Oh," she flushed a little, but beamed, "That's right! Don't you just love it?"

While Remus and Rinoa chatted, Lily watched the game with a smirk on her face. She saw the Chasers as they passed the Quaffle to each other in a brilliant way no doubt James had trained them to do. Speaking of him...

James was circling high, high above the rest of the players, looking for the Golden Snitch. Lily watched him concentrate hard as he looked around. He quickly dove off when a Bludger suddenly came whizzing up from below, and Lily had to admit she was impressed. He had very fast reflexes.

Saint Potter... ruddy Saint Potter with the perfect looks and the perfect talent... Lily grew frustrated as he glided smoothly past the stands, the breeze ruffling his black hair slightly. A couple of girls squealed.

"Isn't he so _dreamy_?"

"Wouldn't it be so romantic to have him holding you while you two flew on his broomstick?" sighed another.

"He's so handsome!"

_He wouldn't be if he had thousands of things sprouting out of his bloody face_, Lily found herself thinking sourly.

Then -

_Hey... I'm pretty gifted at Bat Bogey Hexes. Right, that's it. I'm going to show a thing or two to those besotted girls - if looks are what they're just after, they'll be horrified when I'm through with him. Stupid shallow twits._

Then -

_Must-not-insult-younger-students._

The Quidditch match went on, and the Gryffindors cheered and groaned when it was appropriate. Naturally, Gryffindor were doing well. They were leading by thirty points; not their best, but still fair.

By now, Rinoa had loosened up and was talking freely with Remus. It turned out he had been at the same Quidditch World Cup match as she had (when they were about three-years-old, mind you), and they had a lively time trying to recall the events that had happened. Remus had an amazingly good memory, while Rinoa described the events her father had recorded on an Omniocular.

They had entered the colourless part of the match; it was getting a bit repetitive and nothing exciting was happening. Just the Chasers scoring occasional goals, and the Keeper occasionally saving them, and the Bludgers occasionally trying to unseat the occasional players, and the Beaters occasionally lifting up their bats to hit them away.

But James had spotted it at last; the tiny, golden, fluttering ball. He pulled his broomstick into the right direction and dove.

People gasped and ran to the edge of the stands, trying to get a better look. The players did not stop, however; they continued passing the Quaffle fiercely, back and forth.

Lily also stood up a little, though she still remained bent. One hand went inside her robes and curled around the end of her wand.

"Oooh, he's seen it!" Rinoa gasped, leaping up onto her seat, "Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!"

James silently urged his broom to move faster; go, go, _go_! He couldn't see any sign of the Slytherin Seeker, but that was no reason to relax. Slytherins were sneaky.

He was chasing the Snitch as it flew out of his reach; it was zigzagging up and down, and James grit his teeth as he stretched his arm so far he felt as though it was going to pop out of its socket at any moment.

"C'mon..." he muttered, thrusting his whole body forward. Beads of perspiration were forming on his forehead, and with one final lunge, he felt the cold ball clasped safely in his palm.

James grinned as he slowly released his firm grip on it. The deafening cheers and screams coming from the Gryffindor stands sounded faint and distant to him; it was always like this. When he played Quidditch, he was in his own world.

"That's right," he said grimly, looking at the struggling Snitch in his hand, "It's me again."

"YES, YES, YES, WE WON, YAY, GO US, WE WON!" Rinoa was hollering, jumping up and down. She grabbed Lily and hugged her, then turned to the other side and hugged Remus. After she released him, she went back to cheering with the rest of the crowd. Remus looked ruffled but pleased.

Lily smirked. On the other side of Remus, Peter was clapping merrily.

James was showing off as per usual; he was zooming around the stands, holding out the Golden Snitch and grinning broadly. The Slytherins all leant out as he flew past, trying to push him off his broom, but James was much too quick for them. He turned and shot them a look before flying to the Hufflepuff stand, where many screams erupted as frantic girls tried to work their way to the front for just a _touch_.

"Does he have to do that?" Rinoa said quietly, amusement and distaste mingled on her face, "It gets old after awhile."

"The girls love it," Remus replied.

Lily pulled out her wand and pointed it at James, who was stationary in mid-air as adoring girls leant out and draped their perfectly manicured hands all over him. He seemed to enjoy the attention now, she vaguely noticed, but back in the castle he was very bad-tempered about it.

"_Batoistorous_," she whispered malevolently, grinning.

The hex was instantaneous. James' face were suddenly covered in black wings that were fluttering vigorously. Girls screamed as James yelped and struggled around; the wings had obscured his vision. Holding his broom with one hand, he swayed back and forth jerkily towards the ground.

Rinoa shrieked and jumped on top of her seat again, her hands on Remus' shoulders to steady herself, "Holy moly, look at his face!"

She looked concerned for a moment, then she burst out laughing.

"Good one, Lily!"

"Who said it was me?" the redhead asked innocently, her wand safely stowed back in her robes.

"Because you rule, Lil."

Lily grinned. It faded a little as James continued to sway towards the ground with only one hand on his broom, the other groping at his grotesque face.

"You don't reckon he'll get hurt, do you?" she asked casually, keeping her eyes on him.

Remus was smiling, "Don't worry, James'll be fine. It'll be his dignity that's damaged."

James was only a couple of feet from the ground when he fell forward off his broom and crashed onto the sand, facefirst. Slytherins were jeering. Girls were crying out and shrieking. Everyone was on their feet, talking excitedly.

"ARGH!" James yelled, rolling onto his back and grabbing at his face; he couldn't see or breathe through his nose, "GET - THESE - OFF - ME!"

"Stop thrashing, mate, and I will," Sirius' irritated and amused voice floated somewhere above him.

He heard his other players land on the ground.

"Geez, that's one good hex if I've ever seen one."

"I reckon, eh? Hehe..."

Sirius was muttering something while James lay there, very aware to the fact that almost the whole school was looking at him while his face was covered in - what the heck _were_ they?

"Out of the way, out of the way!" came a sharp voice James recognised as Madam Brooch, their flying teacher and umpire during Quidditch games, "What's happened here?"

James groaned very loudly.

"...some damn bloody good curse, I can tell you that! Prongs, someone out there must really hate you," Sirius was saying.

James hadn't given any thought to who had cast it - probably some sad Slytherin who filled their diary with all the hateful pranks the Marauders had pulled on them. But as soon as Sirius said that, he knew.

"Curse you, Lily Evans," he muttered.

---

Once his face was right, James was flocked by more girls than usual after successfully winning a Quidditch match for them. He had thought his face suddenly covered in bat bogies would have scared them off, rather than attracting them.

In some ways, this was good.

In a lot of other ways, it was awful.

"Oh _James_, are you sure you're alright now?"

James pursed his lips together to stop himself from swearing; Sirius seemed to realise the seriousness of the situation and took the sweet-smelling girl by the arm with a charming smile.

"Now, Audrey, James is perfectly fine. Did you really think he'd suffer that much from a little harmless hex? Of course not!" Sirius laughed gaily and Audrey also beamed while several girls tittered, "But we _do_ need to get back to the common-room... after-party you know... so if you'd just make way a little... that goes for you too, ladies..."

Sirius successfully made an opening in the knot of dazzling girls which James gratefully squeezed into. Releasing Audrey and shouldering James like a bodyguard, Sirius grinned charmingly and shook off girls who were cooing and simpering, peering at him hopefully.

"Would it hurt to _smile_ for them?" Sirius muttered strainedly as they went up the stairs two at a time.

"Why should I?" James said irritably, "Mum and Dad sent me here to have a peaceful life... but it still doesn't bloody work... You don't think they actually _know_, do you?"

"No, James," Sirius said patiently, "It must simply be your good looks. We have reached the common-room now; prepare to be attacked."

Before James could splutter, "_What_?" Sirius had given the Fat Lady the password and she had swung open. James had a fleeting look of the packed common-room full of rejoiceful singing and cheering before a crowd of people had stormed up to him, so estastic it was almost alarming.

"Padfoot..." James looked over at Sirius helplessly as countless people patted him on the arm and wrung his hand enthusiastically. Sirius smiled as he casually walked away to get some Butterbeer.

"Some friend you are," James murmured, while keeping on a strained smile. He scanned over the tops of their heads as he looked around the common-room - any loose spot he could make a run for.

And his eyes fell on a redhead.

A passionate and relentless feeling exploded in him, and the voices that were forever congratulating him became even more distant. All he knew was that it had definitely not been one of his best Quidditch games, and he was going to vent out his frustration.

"Evans!" he barked with savage pleasure at knowing he would be humiliating her and also quenching the annoying girls who were talking nineteen-to-a dozen.

Lily looked up; she had been sitting in the corner of the common-room with a glass of Butterbeer. She had been laughing while she talked to her two friends. A look of blankness was upon her face; a couple of seconds later, a half-innocent, half-knowing smile graced her lips.

James glared at her. How dare she look so _guiltless_!

"Hello, Potter. Congratulations on catching the Snitch so quickly." The words certainly sounded sincere. There wasn't a trace of sarcasm or something equally ludicrous. But yet James _knew_ she was making fun of him.

People were watching. He knew she wasn't so popular and that everyone would support him... but James didn't feel comfortable in flying into a temper right at that moment.

He'd play it cool, too.

"Thank you Evans," he said lightly, "That was very kind of you."

He almost smirked when he detected the slight surprise in her green eyes at his reply. But she recovered quickly and gave quite a horrid and humourless smile.

"Anytime, Potter." She turned her head and resumed talking to her friends.

James' blood boiled.

"Hey Evans," he said casually, "Did you know that when you curse a fellow student, you are supposed to be _put on detention_ for it. Must be a record for you, isn't it? Two detentions in just a fortnight. Won't your parents faint with horror?"

"Don't you talk to me about being punished for jinxing others," Lily said furiously, leaping up from her spot. Her face was flushed with indignation and she tossed her ruddy red hair. There was a murmur of interest but Lily didn't care. She looked up at him, eyes blazing.

"Why not?"

She smirked, and glanced around the interested students, "Have you forgotten about our last run-in and what I told you? I'll repeat it just for you. Potter, you are a no-good, selfish, rotten, pig-headed - " by this time, many girls had gasped and now looked outraged, " - pathetic, smarmy little ba - " Lily broke off suddenly, looking rather alarmed.

James was breathing heavily. He held out his wand and pointed it at her, trying to calm himself. Who in the _living world _did she think she was?

"Say it," he said in a dangerously low voice, his wand shaking a bit, "Say it, Evans."

Lily eyed the wand apprehensively. The common-room was hushed. Sirius muttered, "James, don't..." but James ignored him. Rinoa, looking positively alarmed, grabbed the back of Lily's robes and tugged.

"SAY IT!" James hollered, sounding wild now, "Don't tell me you're backing out of it now, Evans! We made a deal, remember? We fight, and we keep fighting regardless. You weren't afraid to call me all those other things, why can't you finish your rotten sentence?"

"Fine!" Lily yelled back at him, stomping right up to him and roughly pushing the wand out of her way, "James Potter, you are a SMARMY LITTLE _BASTARD_!"

"NO!" several girls gasped.

"OH MY GOD!" someone screamed.

"Lily..." Rinoa groaned, putting her head in her hands. Crysta had turned extremely red with embarrassment.

James' expression was blank. He obviously hadn't expected Lily to say it. She was breathing deeply now. The look in her green eyes told James one thing; she plainly loathed him.

"Right," he said furiously, his words sounding forced and choked, "_Right_. Evans, you - "

"I'm what, huh?" Lily said hysterically, "Can't be much worse than you, you pathetic - "

"Shut up!" James shouted, livid. He thrust his hand out again so that the erect wand was once again pointed at Lily.

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Lily screamed back, sounding close to tears, "You think you can walk all over everyone - but not _me_!"

"SHUT - YOUR - FILTHY - MOUTH," James roared, causing several to flinch and cower. Sirius looked astonished; he had never seen James so angry before.

Then something happened.

Lily's mouth was open as if she were about to say something. Then her expression changed. She looked as though she was struggling. She frowned. Her mouth slowly closed. Then, to the astonishment and horror of the people watching, her lips were disappearing - skin was steadily growing over them.

"Lily!" Rinoa shrieked, seizing her friend by the shoulders and shaking her, "Good Lord - SAY SOMETHING!"

But Lily looked puzzled as the skin continued to grow and grow... until it finally met and seemingly invisible stiches seemed to join them together.

"Oh," Rinoa gasped, backing away.

"My," Remus muttered in amazement, staring at Lily.

"God," finished Sirius.

Lily looked absolutely normal.

Except now she had no mouth.

"MMMMMMMM!" she yelled through her - non existent mouth.

James stared at her, awed. He had obviously not expected that to happen.

Then he grinned and all traces of his fury before disappeared.

"That ought to teach you to think before you speak," he said scrupulously, looking down his nose at her.

"Potter, damn you!" Rinoa screeched, "Set her right!"

James looked taken-aback for a moment as this newfound shorty with an awful temper bounded across to him. Clearly, Lily had a bad influence on her friends. Before he could say anything, though, another girl he hadn't the faintest idea who she was had ran in front of him, facing Rinoa.

"Don't talk to him like that! He just taught that rotten girl a lesson!" she said defiantly.

Rinoa looked at her in disgust, "You - you - GET OUT OF MY WAY, BARBIE!" She grabbed the protesting girl by the shoulders and jerked her away to get a clear shot of James.

"Potter!" she yelled again, lifting up a palm, "I swear to Merlin if you don't give her back her mouth I will _hurt_ you!"

"Don't make me hex you too," James said apprehensively, backing away and holding up his wand.

"No, James," Remus said quietly and firmly, walking in between them, "You're not going to hex anyone else tonight. Rinoa, come back." He put a hand on her elbow. She glared at James for a little longer, to say she meant business, then put down her hand in disgust.

"I don't know the counter-curse," James said calmly, still eyeing Rinoa with apparent unease.

"How could you _not_?"

"I don't even know how she got like that in the first place!"

Lily made wild flapping motions with her hands. She didn't look happy. No one paid any heed to her.

"Um," Crysta spoke up very, very quietly, lifting her head. When everyone turned to her, she went a deeper shade of red. For some reason, Rinoa felt extremely impatient with her.

"_What_?" she demanded rudely.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Crysta said in all her embarrassment, "But... I read somewhere that jinxes that come in affect without an incantation only last from one to ten hours."

"Well there's your stinking answer," James said hotly to Rinoa, who scrunched up her face at him, "Your friend will have her mouth again in due time, and what a short improvement it was while she didn't have one."

And without further ado, James in all his aggravation and fury, strode towards the portrait hole and climbed out with unnecessary vim.

Left Lily, looking confused and indignant at the same time.

Left his friends, looking exasperated.

Left Crysta, still red but looking relieved.

Left the entire common-room in a stunned silence, which was to be broken by Rinoa.

"Well," she said under her breath with a scowl. She looked around the common-room, where people were beginning to talk again, and saw the proud Gryffindor lion emblem.

"Congratulations, Gryffindor."

---

The topic of Lily and James' fight soon spread across Hogwarts in due time, as it is apt to. Nothing drastic happened except increased hatred towards Lily, who quickly learnt the secret passageways of the castle and to detect hate mail without having to open it. In a week or so, the news became old and the students, deprived of gossiping about fellow students' lives, turned to the _Witch Weekly_. The lives of Hogwarts' inhabitants slipped back into their old grooves, if they had even ever had the bother of moving out of it.

For the fifth-years and above, this meant continuous studying.

On one of the rare occasions that Lily had finished all her homework _and_ done all the revising she deemed necessary, she was sitting in the living room of her and James' Head tower. Her reading glasses were on as she frowned over a lengthy and worn piece of parchment. Sighing and propping her chin in her hand, Lily re-wrote a line.

Crysta had been right about the curse, and Lily's mouth had miraculously been returned to her in the middle of the night. Her lips moved silently as she read her new sentence. Seemingly satisfied, Lily continued to think and ponder. After awhile, she closed her eyes and took off her glasses.

While still deep in thought about her story, the portrait opened and James stepped in. Neither of them took any notice of each other, as had been custom, rather than avoiding one another, for the past couple of days.

James crossed the room, unlocked his bedroom door, went inside and shut the door after him. Lily put back on her glasses and resumed writing, after being struck by inspiration. A couple of minutes later, the door opened again and James came out. He stood there for a long time. Lily barely noticed, but had the vague feeling he was looking at her.

"What are you doing?" he finally asked in a restrained sort of voice.

Lily looked up and frowned, "What's it to you?"

James sighed deeply, "Nothing at all, Evans. I've just been to see McGonagall - there's a new student coming from a different country on Thursday, and they'll be in our year."

He was speaking indifferently but still civilly, and for once he wasn't picking a fight. A surprised Lily found herself nodding and asking, "Do we have to go and greet them?"

"No, she said someone else in our year who knows the new kid will be," James replied tenuously, walking back to the portrait hole. He was almost outside when he turned around again. "By the way," he added scrupulously, "Glasses make you look uglier than you are." His last look of Lily was of an offended and fierce glare before the portrait blocked his view.

Smirking to himself, James made his evening round to the Gryffindor common-room to see his friends. Only Remus and Peter were there, but James had gloomily expected as much. Sirius seemed pre-occupied these days, always having something on his mind, it seemed.

"How's Lily?" Peter asked the instant James sat down with them.

James rolled his eyes, "She hasn't done anything to me, if that's what you mean."

Peter had taken to asking how Lily was every time he saw James. He had enjoyed watching the little war between the two and was thirsty for more action. To be completely honest, he couldn't wait until Lily got back at James for cursing away her mouth.

"Of course she hasn't," Remus said levelly, "She's stopped it now, which is the sensible thing to do."

Jamse snorted, "My foot she's stopped. Nope... she's dying to get me back. Just a matter of another week, I say. Best be prepared, eh?" He had taken an optimistic view on this whole pranking scheme, though he didn't quite know why.

"Oh, good," Peter said brightly.

James and Remus exchanged glances, then turned away to hide their laughing.

"Hi, Padfoot," James greeted happily when Sirius joined them.

"Hey," he said spiritedly, dropping his bag on the armchair, "Prongs, guess what?"

"What?"

"Lydia's transferring to our school!"

James immediately turned his head to Sirius, giving him his full attention, "_What_? What do you mean?"

"She's coming to Hogwarts for her last year of schooling," Sirius said brightly, relaxing in his chair and grinning at James, "She's been wanting to come for ages now, and we've been writing about it on and off. Her parents finally decided to let her. She's arriving on Thursday."

All meaning dropped off the face of the earth. James' insides seemed to have plummeted to his feet, leaving an odd sensation in his stomach and head. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, James managed to say, "How come... you two never said anything about it?"

Sirius considered this for a moment, then shrugged, "It was just a little thing... Lydia never thought it'd actually happen. And you know how busy we've been with our N.E.W.T's coming up."

"But she's my friend too!" James said a bit fiercely, "I have the right to know if she's suddenly coming to our school on Thursday - wait a minute, _Thursday_? There's another new student coming on Thursday, too, and - oh." Feeling embarrassed now, James mumbled, "She _is_ the new student, and you're the one who knows her who's going to meet her."

"Well, I was supposed to," Sirius said, leaning forward seriously, "But I've got detention on Thursday evening, and you're the only other person who knows her, so could you meet her?"

"What?" all feelings of resentment leaked away and James felt unsettled, "_Meet _her?"

"Yeah, just be at the Entrance Hall on Thursday after classes. Dumbledore and McGonagall are coming too. Won't it be great to have Lyds around?" Sirius was saying enthusiastically as he checked his watch, "Merlin! Is that the time? Anyone up for dinner?"

"Yeah, let's all go," Remus said automatically, getting up, "But anyway, who is this Lydia?"

"Oh, our special baby sister since we were about nine, eh?" Sirius said brightly as they walked out of the common-room, "James' parents and her parents knew each other... and during that time I was at their place."

"Their palace, you mean," Peter said admiringly.

"Yeah, and we met her," James jumped in to explain, "And we've been friends ever since. We see her every summer, and now we'll get to see her every day."

"So she's Italian, then?" Remus wanted to know as the four of them walked into the Great Hall.

"Half and half," Sirius replied, "Her father's British. She's a real pretty picture. Prongsie here is quite taken in by her."

"I - what?" James spluttered, vexed to feel himself going pink while the others laughed.

"James taken in by a girl... I never thought I'd see the day," Remus joked, helping himself to Yorkshire pudding, just as James burst out, "I am not _taken in_ by her!"

"Ah, come off it, Prongs," Sirius said good-naturedly, "You're such a gentleman around her, something I don't see anywhere else."

"Yeah - well, she's a girl," James said hotly without thinking. He looked longingly at the food in front of him, knowing he wasn't allowed to touch any of it. He'd just have to wait till later when his trustworthy friends would steal him his rations.

"Lily's a girl, too," Peter pointed out.

"Shut up."

While the other three ate, James thoughts rove around Lydia and how bizarre it was that she was actually _coming_ to Hogwarts. He had grown accustomed to her being thousands of miles away, while being able to see her during the summer, and he wasn't sure if he could cope with her being so close.

_Thursday..._ he thought, _She's arriving here on Thursday. That's only two days away... Dammit._

The evening passed by in a dreamlike state. James felt elated yet nervous at the same time. He was really quite fond of Lydia... his face broke into a smile as he thought about her.

"And here's all your ruddy food," Sirius mumbled sleepily much later that night when he, Remus and Peter trooped back into their dormitory, where James was sitting, waiting patiently for his belated dinner.

"Thanks," James said hungrily, catching the bag his best friend threw at him, "Well I won't trespass on your hospitality anymore..." and indeed all three of his friends looked more tired than usual.

"See you in the morning."

"Yeah... night," Remus grunted.

Sirius made a waving movement with his hand, and Peter called out, "Bye, James!"

James walked jubilantly back out of the Gryffindor tower to his own "home". He enjoyed the peaceful walk, where even Peeves didn't disturb him. Clutching his bag of food, he gave the password to the delicate lady who resented being woken up. When James walked inside, however, he found a head of ruddy red curls lying on the coffee table.

James stopped entirely, looking at Lily. She had fallen asleep on top of her work, and her reading glasses were hanging askew. She really did look quite endearing...

And it certainly wouldn't do to let her stay like that.

James dropped his food on the table, crossed to the kitchen, filled a cup with water, strode back to the living room and poured the lot on top of her.

"Mmm... ugh... _what_?" Lily cried almost at once, springing up and whacking herself in the eye, "_Ouch_..." Rubbing the sore spot, Lily squinted at James, "Potter... wha? Why'd you do that for?" she asked resentfully, flicking the little droplets of water off her shoulders so that it hit him.

"You shouldn't sleep at the table, it's not good for you," James said soberly, moving back from her as she continued to wring water on him, "If you're really that tired, you should go to bed."

"And since when have you cared about my health?" Lily snorted, bending down to gather her parchment, making sure none of them were wet, "Next time you wish to wake me up, just _prod_ me."

"Will do," James said coolly, beginning to feel, as he always did when in her company, exasperated. Lily did not say anything and kept a stiff silence as she sat back down on the floor, propped back on her glasses and lifted up her parchment again.

James watched her, involuntarily interested and curious.

"Oi," he said suddenly without even thinking.

"What?" she snapped.

James struggled with himself for a moment; a part of him was thinking quickly of what to say, another part wanted to tell her off for being so mean to him when he was _trying_ to be civil.

"Err... so, important essay?"

Lily looked up with a frown, "Potter, why do you even care?" she asked wearily.

James had moved to the kitchen table to take out his dinner. He spun around and snapped, "I _don't_ care, I just wanted to eat alone in peace without having to see you hunched over that stupid piece of parchment."

Lily looked shocked, "Well, you didn't have to be _that_ mean about it!"

"You think I _care_?" James snorted impatiently, slamming down a loaf of bread on the table, "Dammit, I hate this bread!"

"Ex_cuse_ me?" said a bewildered and indignant Lily.

"NOTHING!" James bellowed, now in a foul mood.

"Okay, then," she replied shortly, though James did catch her offended and confused expression before she put quill to parchment yet again. James began to stuff the food into his mouth, chewing angrily. After a minute of silence, the uncomfortable feeling of guilt began to prick him.

_Oh, sod off_, he thought silently, _Evans is not even human_.

A few more minutes later, James could not take it anymore.

"Evans," he called reluctantly.

"What?" she said without looking up.

"Have you... had dinner yet?" James asked cautiously, immediately wondering if this was such a good idea. He suddenly felt like a saint; he _was_, after all, asking her a very considerate question!

"What?" Lily asked again, though this time she sounded much softer and she looked up at him. Her green eyes showed confusion and suspicion.

"I _said_," James said heavily, wondering how thick a person could get, "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Well..." Lily was clearly trying to get over her shock, "No, actually." With a very small smile, she got up and joined him at the table after James made a gesturing movement with his hand.

"Wow," Lily scrunched up her face as she surveyed the food James' friends had taken from the kitchens, "Is this what you've been living off for the past month?"

"So what if it is?" James said defiantly.

"Nothing, nothing..." the redhead said lightly, still with a small smile on her face. She sat down opposite him and began nibbling on a piece of bread covered in cream cheese. A peculiar expression crossed her face and she smiled, "Hey, this is good!"

"No it's not," James said at once, "This bread is awful. I like Sally's - she's my cook at home - bread."

"What on earth is the difference?" Lily wanted to know, now helping herself to salad and chicken.

"Easy. Sally's bread is homemade. It's perfect. Just the way I like it. Mind you, I had to sample it around thirty-six times before it was to my satisfaction," James explained, discarding the disfavoured bread and moving onto the salad as well.

Lily shook her head in bewilderment, "You are amazing."

James paused in the act of putting his fork in his mouth and stared at her.

Lily rolled her eyes, "That wasn't meant as a compliment, Potter. I still think you as a smarmy little git."

"Oh," James, feeling slightly relieved, said in a relaxed voice, "And a 'I-still-think-you're-much-more-pleasant-without-a-mouth' back to you, Evans."

Lily rolled her eyes again and wisely chose to say nothing. They ate in a subdued yet tense silence.

James ate with an annoyed look on his face while Lily ate slowly and calmly, her eyes glassy. James got the uneasy impression that, while she may be there in body, her spirit was lingering off elsewhere. James strongly disapproved of this. Lily was such a flighty and unpredictable person. He hated those sort of people. He preferred those who were practical, sensible and even-tempered. Quite ironic really, as those who knew James would not describe him as that...

As he pondered over practical and sensible people, his mind drifted over to Lydia again. He was immediately filled with a fresh happiness. Seeing and having Lydia around would be wonderful. And she'd be here on Thursday, and he would be the first to see her and greet her and welcome her to Hogwarts.

James' stomach flipped unpleasantly.

"Hey," he said unexpectedly without planning it.

"Yup?" Lily said absently, concentrating on making a happy face with bits of tomatoes on her piece of bread.

"We're both going to meet the new student on Thursday, alright?"

"Hey?" Lily asked in confusion, looking up and knocking her work of art over, "What d'you mean? You said earlier that we needn't to!"

"Well, we do now," James said as if this settled the matter. He looked at her pointedly, as if challenging her to say anything else. Lily didn't feel like picking a fight, so she just shrugged and said, "So Thursday, after classes?"

"Yeah, that'd be right," James said, now sounding distracted.

Lily noticed this and arched an eyebrow. Reaching across the table to take his discarded bread, she said conversationally, "What's up with you?"

"Oh... nothing," James said with a heavy sigh, as if implying that Lily was too inferior to understand, "Just nothing. And what the _hell_ are you doing?" he asked in amazement, sitting up straighter and staring at her.

"I'm eating, Potter," Lily said slowly, pulling a face, "What does it look like?"

"You're eating _my_ bread."

"You said you hate this bread! Besides, I wouldn't have taken it if only there wasn't any left," Lily said defensively, not liking the ugly look in James' eye. She took another bite, feeling as though she was crossing the line.

To be sure, James looked repulsed, "What are you, a _dog_? That was my leftovers!"

"Yeah, so?" Lily said loudly, about to shove the whole piece in her mouth. James leapt up and whacked it out of her hand+. Lily yelped, her eyes blazing.

"What was that for?" she cried, "You weren't gonna eat it, so why can't I have it? I happen to _appreciate_ the house-elf made bread!"

"That's not the point," James retorted, "I had already ate a bit of that, so it was _mine_. You're... you're... eating like an animal! You are not a bloody animal, Evans!"

Lily looked, if it was possible, more shocked than she ever had.

"Good Merlin, Potter, it's called not wasting food," she exclaimed hotly, "My goodness... " she shook her head violently, "Are you _quite_ alright in the head?"

"No," James said stubbornly, moving his plate of food away from her as if afraid she'd eat that too, "Happy?"

Lily stared at him, in her mind sorting through every possible reason to understand where he was coming from. But she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out _why_ he was so worked up about a piece of bloody bread.

She gave up and stood up stormily, slamming her plate on the table for no real reason and cramming as much food into her mouth before stomping to the sink. She dropped her plate in, was satisfied at its loud _clang_, marched into the living room, messily swept all her things into her arms and continued her parade to her bedroom, where she noisily and energetically slammed the door and locked it.

James sat there, feeling quite deflated and genuinely confused.

What was _her_ problem?

---

"Great Merlin... did you actually _brush_ your hair this morning?" Sirius asked in awe on Thursday when they met each other in the Gryffindor common-room, having a free lesson that morning.

"So what if I did?" James scoffed, at the same time checking his reflection in the glass that covered the noticeboard.

Smirking significantly, Sirius said, "_Told_ you he's taken in by Lydia."

This earned him a hard thwack on the head by a heavy textbook.

"She's nice, isn't she?" piped up Peter nervously. He'd been afraid of this new girl that James held in such admiration and Sirius in friendship; what if _she_ replaced _him_ as the fourth Marauder? She was bound to take a liking to Remus - everyone liked Remus. But as for Peter...

"She's lovely," was Sirius' reply.

Peter didn't look any more reassured.

James didn't seem his usual self; he had no set mood and went from irritable to nervous to cheerful in the matter of minutes. The evening arrived much too quickly for his liking, and to his utmost horror and fancy James found himself walking to his Head tower after bading Sirius goodbye when he left for his detention.

"Say hi to Lyds for me!"

With Sirius' loud and energetic words still ringing in his stuffy head, James stumbled into his living room and found it empty. Despite his nerves, he couldn't help but feel nettled. He strode to Lily's door and banged on it three times.

"Evans, are you ready yet?" he yelled, running a hand through his hair impatiently.

There was a scuffle for a couple of seconds, then the door opened and Lily stood there defiantly, holding onto the door.

"I didn't think you'd want my company anymore," she said loftily, telling James plainly she had not forgotten the bread incident.

James didn't feel abashed. He said in an affronted voice, "I _don't_, but the Head Boy _and_ Girl both need to meet this new student so will you hurry up and get out _now_!"

Lily walked out of her room and slammed her door shut without a word. James, who had been expecting her to refuse, barely had time to turn his head when the redhead had left the living room with another slam of the portrait.

"Hey," he called to no one, sprinting across the room, "Wait for me!"

He found her further up ahead in the corridor, marching haughtily. In truth, Lily was quite enjoying this. Being stiff and cold with James was always a pleasure. But she was also annoyed; she had homework to do and she had an inkling she didn't _have_ to go with James to meet this new student, whomever they were, but that James had only made that part up about both the Heads having to be there. It was just like him to do such a thing!

Just to annoy her.

...He was so _frustrating_.

Lily then and there made up her mind not to talk to him at all for the rest of the week.

Hence, when he asked her to slow down, she didn't reply and speeded up. When he yelled at her to stop, she continued to walk briskly. And this just kept going, so James became increasingly bad-tempered and Lily smiled lightly for the rest of the walk to the Entrance Hall.

"Good evening Mr. Potter and Miss Evans," Professor Dumbledore greeted them pleasantly, with Professor McGonagall next to him turning to see them and nodding curtly.

"Good evening sir," Lily said with a smile, "And professor."

James grunted, earning a bemused look from the Headmaster and a repulsed one from Professor McGonagall.

"Miss Kensington should be arriving in just - " Professor Dumbledore was cut off when the double doors creaked open, and the four backed away as the doors moved to the side.

Lily drew a sharp intake of breath when she saw the figure standing outside.

The mysterious new student walked in, carrying her bags as she did. She walked into the warmth of the castle, and smiled uncertainly but still dazzling at the two teachers.

Lily was gobsmacked. The girl looked like a model. Her youthful radiance clearly showed that she was around Lily's age, but at the same time she looked so mature and womanly. Her shining hair fell to her shoulders in glossy, chestnut curls that shimmered and glinted in the light. She had a flawless olive complexion and very high cheekbones. She also had the most delicate and frail features that made her gorgeous, and her almond-shaped eyes were deep brown, and surrounded by long and exquisite lashes.

Lily wouldn't have been surprised if her jaw had dropped open. She could not believe her eyes. This girl almost had the effect of a Veela, except... Lily closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall," she spoke softly, as if speaking aloud was against her nature.

"Good evening, Miss Kensington," Professor Dumbledore said very warmly, walking forward to shake her hand, "I trust you had a safe journey?"

"Oh, yes, it was very well, thank you," the girl replied considerately, beaming at the Headmaster, "And thank you, Professor McGonagall." She turned and saw James; her face lit up.

"James!" she exclaimed in a delicate sort of happiness, walking over to him and taking his hand in her's, "I didn't think you'd be here; I hadn't any idea you knew! Sirius and I were going to make it a bit of a surprise, you know. Where _is_ Sirius?" She peered behind him hopefully, not bothering to bestow a look at Lily who was almost right behind James.

"Hello, Lydia," James said in a restrained voice, looking, to Lily's surprise, nervous, as he dropped Lydia's hand, "Sirius couldn't make it - " and at this, Lily noticed something the preoccupied Lydia didn't: James' voice had a sullen note to it, " - so he asked me to come instead."

"Oh," Lydia looked heartily disappointed and stopped trying to look behind James, "Will I see him tonight, though?"

Lily, suddenly getting a strange feeling, looked at James, who looked even more bitter, though attempting to hide it.

"I daresay you will," he said indifferently, and Lydia smiled again, showing her perfect teeth. Lily coughed. James, agitated always by the slightest sounds made by her, turned around and looked as though he had only just remembered she was there.

"Oh - Lydia - this is Evans," James added quickly, swiftly and unintentionally cutting Dumbledore, who had opened his mouth to speak, off, "Er - Lily Evans. She's Head Girl."

"Hello," Lily said formally, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Usually, she was much more friendly, but this Lydia gave a distinct feeling of superiority and intimidation, and Lily didn't feel like getting too "chummy" with such a person.

"Oh, hello," Lydia said after a quick glance at the redhead, "Nice to meet you. James," she reached up and gently clutched his arm, "Could you please show me to my room so I can unpack? Afterwards I'll go and see Sirius. It doesn't really matter, of course, that our time tonight is limited... I have all of tomorrow to spend with him, and you."

There was the tiniest, most infinitesimal pause between Lydia's words "him" and, "and you", that made it plain she had tacked James on as a very quick and hasty afterthought.

"Err - " James glanced at the two teachers, "I think you need to be Sorted..."

"Sorted?" Lydia's beautiful face was blank for a moment, then comprehension dawned, "Oh, yes, I forgot about that. I'd love to be in Gryffindor, you know..."

"Well, that's always a good start," Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully, "To my office, if you please, Miss Kensington..."

"Of course," Lydia said benignly, smiling.

"Should I come?" James asked.

"Yes, you must!" Lydia said at once, looking up at him resentfully, "You didn't think you could miss my Sorting, could you, James?"

Lily quickly looked at James, suddenly interested at the interaction between him and Lydia. She had to bite back a smile when she saw that he looked flustered and even had a tinge of pink growing in his cheeks.

James mumbled something and Lydia beamed.

"Well," Lily said, finding it so amusing she was trying not to giggle, "I suppose I'll be off then - lots of homework, you know. Evening sir, Professor, Lydia, Potter."

She bounced off in great spirit, allowing herself to smile at the hilarity of it all until her cheeks hurt.

James went with Lydia to Dumbledore's office, where she put on the Sorting Hat and was pronounced a Gryffindor. Afterwards, James walked her to the Gryffindor common-room, where he introduced her to Remus and Peter, then watched her walk primply upstairs to her new dormitory.

"So, what did you think of her?" James immediately appealed to his friends the moment she was out of sight.

"Well..." Remus said slowly and carefully, "She's nice, I guess," his eyes rove over to the other side of the common-room, and became fixed onto someone, "...And pretty."

"Pretty?" James repeated almost eagerly.

"Yeah. Very pretty," Remus replied almost absently.

James smiled, looking content. Had he been less in a good mood, he would have followed Remus' gaze to find that it was upon Rinoa. Peter was chewing his bottom lip, but didn't say anything.

The familiar smell of a heavenly perfume filled James' nostrils, and he turned around. He saw Lydia gliding down the stairs.

"Lydia?" he questioned, confused.

"Oh," she turned and looked at him, "James, I'm just going to go out. I'm... not ready for bed yet, I don't think." She smiled at him and quickly left the common-room without another word.

James watched her leave and sat there for a total of sixty seconds before standing up.

"I'm going too," he announced.

"To where?" Remus asked, looking up. He broke into a grin when he heard James' stomach grumble, "The kitchens? Sorry we forgot to get your dinner."

James had only just realised how hungry he was, and made a mental note to raid the cupboard back in his common-room, "It's okay. I'm just gonna head back to the tower."

"Right," Remus said, "Say hi to Lily for me."

James shot him a look before exiting the common-room and making his way to the Head tower with his hands in his pocket. His good mood had suddenly evaporated and he had a desire for the day to end as quickly as possible.

On his way, he heard voices further up ahead in the corridor he was about to turn into. Slowing down, he recognised the two voices to belong to Sirius and Lydia.

"...it's been too long."

Sirius laughed, "What, and it's been like a month?"

"You missed my birthday," Lydia was saying in a pouty voice, "No present or card or anything."

"That necklace James sent you! I helped pay for that too, you know. He just conveniently forgot to write that fact," Sirius said indignantly.

James crept up and peered around the corner, in time to see that Lydia had been lightly hitting Sirius on the chest in protest. He watched as Sirius grabbed her wrists and pulled her in a hug, saying, "Glad to see you too, Lyds."

With a heavy heart, James turned back around and strode off hastily, a stormy frown fixed on his face.

---

Lily moaned slightly as she stirred. She had the funny feeling she was sleeping on something hard, and it was terribly uncomfortable. But that didn't matter... she was so sleepy... she only had to shift around a bit more and she could sleep again...

A loud snore made her sit bolt right up.

"Whaa? Ahhh... owwww," she moaned, peering through her heavy eyelids.

As the sleep cleared from her head and her senses were restored to her, she looked around and realised she was in the living room. Confused and still trying to remember the night before, Lily looked down at the coffee table where she was seated. She saw several now-crumpled bits of parchment.

Lily yawned widely and picked up her homework. Checking the clock, she saw she had little less than an hour before classes started.

"Right... mental note... always sleep in bed," she murmured to herself as she went to her bedroom. She checked her appearance and decided her uniform still looked neat enough. After retying her hair into a ponytail, Lily went back into the living room and proceeded to the kitchen to make her breakfast.

"Oh my goodness!" Lily exclaimed, jumping back when she saw that James was sprawled out on the kitchen table, deep in slumber. His occasional snoring was what had woken her up.

She continued to stare at him, perplexed, for a few more minutes.

"Stupid boy..." she said lightly, moving to the cabinet and taking out things. After ten minutes, she had two plates of toast and a range of spreads. She set the food on the table in front of the sleeping James, and cleared her throat.

James continued to sleep.

Lily went back to the sink, got a spoon, and stabbed it into his shoulder.

James grunted in reply. He slowly lifted his head and peered at her blearily. "What?" he mumbled sleepily, his eyes closing again. His head dropped back onto the table.

The redhead shook her head and poked him again, "Classes start soon, and I thought you'd want some breakfast."

"Urggghhh," James groaned muffledly. Very slowly, he lifted his head again and took one look at the food before resuming his sleeping position with a grunted, "Not hungry."

Lily grabbed his ear and pulled him up by it, causing James to cry out like an angry cat.

"Potter, when I go to the trouble to actually make you a meal, you get off your fat arse and eat every single bite, alright?" Lily snapped, jerking his head away.

"For Merlin's sake, woman!" James howled, wide-awake as he rubbed his pink ear, "I told you I don't eat just any old bread!"

"I don't _care_," Lily said evenly, eating her own breakfast.

"Well you should," James retorted. Glaring at her, he picked up his plate of toast, walking over to the trashcan and dropped it in, plate and all.

Lily looked like she had been struck across the face. James gave her a Look.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, Evans?" he taunted.

"You are a _pig_, Potter," was all Lily said, but the way she said it and the look she had had much more impact than her words.

" 'You're a pig, Potter,' " James imitated with a snort of laughter, "Whatever you want, Evans, but do you honestly think I care? The answer is, no. Because you're nothing. Worthless, a waste of space, whatever you wanna call it." James had gotten up and walked to his bedroom door. Placing a hand on the handle, he looked back and saw the hurt beneath Lily's indignant face and added, "Next time, don't try and wake me up. I'm not a morning person." And he slammed his door shut.

"That pig," Lily muttered angrily, biting into her toast viciously and rapidly blinking, "Just because his _date_ with his snobby little princess didn't go perfectly..."

---

All day, James was not an agreeable person. His friends weren't too fussed, as James was regularly sullen at times for no apparent reason. Sirius and Remus attempted to find out why, but James was resolute to his, "Nothing's bloody wrong!" and they had left it at that.

Lydia was immediately accepted into the Hogwarts community. She sat with the Marauders quite a lot, but for the other remainder of the day she had found a group of popular girls whom had "taken" her in.

"Holy cricket," Rinoa gasped, doing a double take the first time she saw Lydia, "_That's_ Sirius' and James' friend?"

Lily nodded.

Rinoa looked awed, "Great Scott... she looks like a model!"

"Where have you guys been?" Crysta said matter-of-factly, "She _is_ a model. Everyone knows."

"What?" Lily asked, puzzled, "What are you talking about?"

Sighing as if dealing with overemotional toddlers, Crysta took out a fairly recent copy of '_Fashionable Freaks'_ and turned to a page. "Here," she said, tossing it at them. Rinoa and Lily immediately grabbed it and looked.

On the glossy page was a beautiful young woman with shining chestnut curls. She was smiling at the camera in a pretty-but-not-happy way, and was modelling a very stylish and fancy robe, all trimmed with lace and lined with velvet.

"No way!" Rinoa gasped again, flattening the picture, "That's her? It can't be... yet it must, for she _does _look like her. She looks so old here, though!"

"It's the make-up and the camera," Crysta replied in a maddeningly superior way, "Didn't you guys know? _Everyone's_ been talking about. Lydia Kensington is the model for _Belladonna_."

"Wait," Lily said slowly, straining her memory, "Those really, really, really, _really_ expensive dress robes? Isn't that like an exclusive line designed by that Italian lady?"

"Yeah, they're imported from Italy," Crysta said casually, "Mother says she's going to get me a set of _Belladonna_ robes for our seventh-year ball. Mind you, they're over a hundred Galleons for even the most plain set."

"Well," Rinoa said negatively, " 'Even the most plain set' is covered in ridiculous frills and furbelows and Lord knows what else. Lily, what are you going to wear for the ball?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Lily answered softly, looking longingly at the pretty robe the magazine-Lydia was fashioning.

"Definitely not that rubbish, I trust?" Rinoa said loftily, grabbing the magazine and tossing it away. Lily looked at her and they both grinned at each other.

"Rubbish?" said a highly offended Crysta, collecting her discarded magazine with dignity.

"Yeah, that's right," Rinoa said in a 'no-nonsense' tone.

"Well if I were you, I'd want to look nice for a certain Marauder who's staring at you," Crysta said in a half-envious, half-teasing voice, gesturing down the Great Hall with her head.

"Who?" Rinoa wanted to know at once, looking around. She broke out into a dodgy smile and waved very hastily when she saw Remus looking right back at her. Then she turned away, moaned and ducked down.

"Is he still looking?" she hissed from her plate.

"Nope," Lily laughed, "Grinned as shiftily as you did and immediately turned around after he saw your greeting."

"Okay," Rinoa muttered, slowly lifting her head up, "Good."

"Good?" Crysta looked shocked, "I really don't understand you, Rinoa..."

Lily and Rinoa exchanged mutual smiles of amusement.

"So how's independent living?" she continued her perusal, helping herself to chicken sandwiches, and all the while trying not to notice her "besotted" Marauder who seemed to stand out particularly out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh," Lily gave a long sigh, "Not so good..." And she explained what had happened at breakfast that fateful morning.

"So he just threw out your toast?" Rinoa was gobsmacked, "That _prat_! I mean, honestly, I think you're mad for actually _bothering_ to wake him up, let alone _make him his sodding breakfast_, but to think he just threw it out?"

Lily nodded with a dark look, "He's not human."

Rinoa, slowly recovering from her shock, turned to look at Crysta and asked pointedly, "And what do _you_ think about this, Crysta?"

"Well," the blonde replied haughtily, obviously ignoring the stressed "you" Rinoa had placed, "It was sort of inconsiderate of him - " ("Sort of?" exclaimed Rinoa in disgust) " - but, you know, Lily. You _knew_ he didn't like that bread, so it would have made life a lot easier for both of you if you hadn't made the toast for him. Honestly, I think you're making too much of an effort."

"What do you mean?" Lily demanded.

"Too much of an effort... to impress him," Crysta said very carefully.

"Impress?" Lily shrieked, "I was being considerate, that's all! But next time I feel like helping someone out I'll just scrap the idea, alright Crysta?"

"There's no need to take that tone with me," Crysta said stiffly, "Like I said, it wasn't very good of him, but I can see where he's coming from. Let's just forgive and forget."

"No!" Rinoa yelled, "Let's kick his arse!"

"What a brilliant idea," Lily muttered.

Crysta looked from one to the other, her eyebrows raised. Finally, she sighed deeply, stood up and said significantly, "You two are still behaving like little children. But we're adults now, and adults handle these situations with _grace_ and _maturity_."

"Then adults are boring sods."

"I'm going to class early," Crysta muttered distinctively, getting up and leaving.

"Bye!" Lily called after her, and Rinoa waved heartily.

"So, back to kicking Potter's arse," she returned brightly.

Lily laughed as she turned back to her lunch and said, "I'd lost track of this 'war' thing. But if I recall correctly, the last person to prank was Potter and he got rid of my mouth."

"That's right. What have you got in mind? A double blow with an infamous Bat Bogey?" Rinoa said hopefully.

"No..." the redhead said carefully, "I dunno, really. I want to... to give him... a good scare. But I don't know what he fears the most."

Rinoa looked thoughtful, "Bleach his hair. That'd ruin his supposed good looks and so comes crashing down his perfect world, like a burning lingerie factory."

"What in the world...?"

"Sorry," Rinoa said sheepishly, "Best leave the poetical terms to the writer, eh?"

"That's exactly right," Lily said haughtily, though she was going pink, "But I'm not a poetical writer. In fact, I still can't grasp writing good descriptions and whatnot."

"How's your story coming along?"

Lily shrugged, "All right. I haven't done much since we've had so much work." The bell rang and the girls started off for their next class, still chatting about what capital punishment could be condemned on James.

"Give him a good scare... hmmm..." Rinoa murmured, thinking hard. She enjoyed taking part in helping Lily prank James, having absolute dislike for the Head Boy herself.

"It has to be something particularly nasty," Lily said darkly, watching with narrowed eyes as James rudely pushed his way through a knot of younger students.

Rinoa suddenly snapped her fingers.

"I've got it!"

"What?"

"A Boggart!"

---

It took quite some time to obtain a Boggart. Lily asked her Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, but she reprimanded the idea and refused to give Lily one. After that discouraging episode, Lily spent some of her spare time exploring empty classrooms and abandoned broom closets, but her attempts were fruitless. Finally, after through a series of connections, a scrawny and sly fourth-year came to her one day when she was on her way to class.

"Oi!"

"Yes?" Lily said puzzledly, turning around.

"Heard you wanted a Boggart or somethin'," the boy said in a nazel voice, skidding to a stop in front of her.

"Err - yeah, I do," the redhead replied testily, wondering how he knew.

"I specialise in catching those buggers," the boy explained carelessly, searching through his pockets as he spoke.

"Oh," Lily exclaimed as comprehension dawned, and she looked at him with a frown, "You're that dodgy fellow who has dodgy ways in catching dodgy creatures, am I right?"

He stopped fidgeting and looked up at her cautiously, "Yeah..."

"You know you've given us a lot of strife," Lily said, but rather than sounding Head Girl-ish she sounded more awed, "You and your rampaging Grindylows... Redcaps..." she shuddered.

The boy took a step back and said defensively, "What, you gonna put me on detention or somethin'?"

"No..." Lily looked vaguely thoughtful, "Can you really get a Boggart for me?"

"Yup."

"By tomorrow?"

"Yup."

"And how much do you charge?"

"For a Boggart... six Sickles."

"Six Sickles!" Lily exclaimed sceptically, "Well... okay... but it better be the scariest Boggart to ever live!"

"All Boggarts are scary, _I _learnt that last year," he said cheekily, and Lily resisted the urge to retort, "Just tell me where you want it to be put an' I'll have it ready for ya."

Lily told him her wishes and the strange boy fulfilled them promptly, grinning slyly when his scrawny hands were holding the six Sickles he had made. After that was done, everything was much easier. The Boggart was ready, and all that had to happen was for James to stumble across it.

"Just give him a good scare, then sooner or later he'll realise it's a Boggart and _Riddikulus_ it away," Lily explained to Rinoa, "Not too harsh, but still a nasty thing to happen to anyone."

"Well he deserves it," Rinoa said firmly. She was the only other person who knew of Lily's plan, neither girl trusting Crysta to keep it to herself, much less to approve of it.

Wednesday dawned bright and early, with the weather getting colder and colder as Christmas drew nearer and nearer. James was himself again, and though still sullen about Sirius and Lydia he couldn't help enjoying his time with both of them. Sirius was his best mate and to stay angry at him was too much for James to handle, and Lydia was so sweet and beautiful he savoured every second spent with her.

James was reliving a particularly happy hour they had all spent in the common-room, just talking and eating while the other students kept their distance and stared at what they considered to be the most God-worthy people at Hogwarts. He sat at the kitchen table, his chin in his hand and his elbow leaning on top of his homework, when the portrait swung open and Lily ducked in.

He fully expected for her to speed across the living room and into her bedroom, as she almost always did, when she made a beeline for him, and in those few seconds James knew he was in trouble.

"What?" he said agitatedly before she could say anything, hoping to make it obvious he wasn't in the mood for her verbal abusement.

Lily brushed his attempt away and exclaimed in a funny voice, "Potter, we have an emergency Prefect meeting in that room at the Entrance Hall!"

James frowned and sat up, "Now?"

"Yes!"

"What for?"

James noticed, with puzzlement, that Lily looked a tiny bit embarrassed as she replied, "I really don't know, but we need to get there quickly!"

"Evans, are you sure? Who told you this?" James wanted to know as he got out of his seat.

"Potter!" she snapped, and she sounded much more like herself now, "Just get a move on, please!"

James rolled his eyes but obeyed her orders. Lily was walking very fast and soon she began to run up the stairs and down the corridors, so that even James found it hard to keep up with her.

"Can you... slow... down?" he panted, jogging slightly and resisting the urge to reach out and pull her back. She didn't say anything but continued to run, until they reached the slightly crowded Entrance Hall and she pulled open a heavy wooden door James had never noticed.

"In here!" she hissed, ushering him in and turning on the lights. Still panting slightly, James stumbled into the room and looked around. It had the air of a neglected room, and most of the furniture was dusty. Nonetheless, he sank into an ancient-looking armchair and caught his breath.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked, still looking around the room and trying not to breathe too deeply because the room had a sour smell.

"I'm going to go get them, and the teachers are coming soon. Get some glasses from that room over there and there's also some bottled Butterbeer," Lily ordered before leaving.

"Wait - " James started, but it was too late.

He saw the door Lily had been talking about and decided he wouldn't do what she had asked - just yet. He felt too annoyed at her.

James relaxed in his armchair and raised his eyebrows as he glanced at the condition of some of the objects in the room. It was one of the most ugliest places he had ever seen and wondered why McGonagall or Dumbledore or whoever had called on this meeting had chosen this room, when they had always had their meetings in McGonagall's office.

As he thought about this, he remembered how Lily had been acting strange about this supposed meeting. And it all didn't add up, anyway. Why did she make him run all the way here when no one else had even arrived yet? If this meeting was so important, how come the teachers weren't already here?

But then that would mean Lily had made up this emergency Prefect meeting, and that made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Besides, why would she do that?

_Probably a lame joke on me,_ James thought lazily, frowning in thought, _But what harm can it do? Sure, it's an eyesore, but it's not gonna kill me or anything_.

And he snorted in laughter at the thought of this meeting being a mere and stupid prank. And if it was, clearly Evans didn't know how this business worked.

Several more minutes ticked by, and James started to grow impatient. Clicking his tongue, he got to his feet and moved to the door, figuring it must be like a broomstick cupboard. He wondered who on earth would drink Butterbeer that had probably been locked for centuries in this dreary room.

"Certainly not me," he muttered to himself, opening the door and reaching out for the anticipated glasses and bottles.

A creature flew out onto his face, honking and flapping its wings about. James yelped and his arms flailed out. Still shouting in anger and panic, he stumbled backwards and fell onto his back.

"GEROFF!" he screamed, finally managing to throw the goose off. Breathing sharply, James scrambled back and quickly got onto his feet, eyeing the goose nervously.

Fear began to cloud his brain and the goose honked again - James cried out in alarm and jumped onto the chair when the creature started running at him. It tried to nip at his feet and James, his breath becoming shorter and quicker, jumped down and started to run, knocking things over in his frenzy.

The goose continued to pursue him, honking good-naturedly. James was terrified and yelled incoherently while throwing random objects at the creature. Finally he reached the wooden door and grabbed onto the handle. Using all his strength to pull it open, James bolted out, still shouting and screaming in hysteria. The goose followed him, still honking and waddling.

Everyone froze and stared as they watched their cool and composed Head Boy skid across the stone floor, looking a little less worn for wear. His face was shining with sweat and his shirt was dishevelled. James didn't seem to notice or care though - he was trying to get as far away from the goose as possible.

"MAKE IT GO AWAY!" James screamed, oblivious to the horrified stares his fellow students were giving him.

Miraculously, the goose suddenly stopped walking and went very still. It looked, if it was possible, confused. To James' astonishment and relief, it rose in mid-air and was spinning when suddenly -

"_Riddikulus_!" yelled a seventh-year Ravenclaw boy, running forward. He let out a big, "HA!" and waved his wand, and the goose or whatever it was vanished instantly.

James lay on the stone floor, trying to steady his breathing, as he realised what had happened. His senses caught up with his surroundings and he felt himself go horribly red.

"Say Potter," said the boy who had performed the _Riddiukulus_ spell, "I never knew your Boggart was a goose."

At this, the students crowding around began to laugh a little. Furious but determined not to say anything, James got to his feet with as much dignity as he could and roughly pushed his way out of the Entrance Hall, seething with anger. On his way he noticed Lydia, and he cursed all the great wizards above. Lydia had a dumbfounded and slightly shamed expression on her face, and she quickly glanced away in embarrassment when James caught her eye.

James grew even more hot and angry, and stomped his way back to the Head tower, trying to think up of the worst punishment to afflict upon Lily Evans when he got back.

----------

A/N: Hulloooo people. x) How art thou all today? Good? Chirpy? Excellent? Puahahahaha, I'm about to attend a baptism for five of my friends in an hour or so, so I'm quite elated. xD I'm also excited about posting up this chapter, which I know I've taken yonks to write. But it's long! Isn't it? _(watches you all nod)_ Yay! Exceeellent. x)

GASP. I made James a Seeker. I'M SORRY! I _KNOW_ HE WAS A CHASER. I ONLY REMEMBERED HALFWAY WHEN I WAS WRITING THE MATCH. Please forgive me. Not a word about his position on the team, alright? Hehe. It's just I had a fiasco with that on my other fic, and I got SO SICK of it.

If you have any questions feel free to ask away in reviews, and the next available operator will take your call. Haha, I'm such a nerd. What I mean is that I'll reply with the new reply-dooby thing FF net has introduced. xD If you've already asked questions in before-reviews, please ask again because I have forgotten. :( That is all! Please review! x) --MSQ luffs ice-cream. 6x

**Q** is the special letter. xD


	8. Selling Her Soul

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Eight ll Selling Her Soul**

----------

"EVANS!"

Lily chuckled to herself silently, and braced herself for the explosion.

The portrait flung open and banged against the wall. James tore in, looking extremely wild. His hair was all over the place and sticking up at odd angles, his face was flushed and his eyes were sparkling with vengeance.

"You," he said furiously, his eyes dilating when he saw the seemingly innocent redhead perched on the sofa, "_You_," he repeated, still glaring at her.

"Yes, Potter dear?" Lily said cheerfully.

"Where did you get that goose?"

Lily raised her eyebrows, "What goose?"

James slowly turned a reddy-purple and he took a deep breath while his torturer grinned and said, "My, my Potter... so your Boggart... is a goose?"

He didn't say anything; he just continued to glare at her with utmost loathing.

Still grinning, Lily continued, "I mean, of all things... Acromantulas... dragons... losing a Quidditch match... what you fear the most, is a goose? If you don't mind me asking... why is it a goose? They aren't that scary. Just a simple "BO" and you send them on their way - "

"Right. This is it. I'm not doing this rubbish anymore. It's over," James said quietly.

"What?" Lily asked, her smirk fading slightly.

"It's over!"

Lily stared at him for a full five seconds before asking, "What's over?"

"This bloody pranking thing! It's stupid, it's childish! And I'm not doing it anymore! You win, are you happy?" James shouted, "And now, GET OUT!"

"_Excuse_ me?" Lily said, actually stricken dumb.

"Get out of my house! I don't ever want to see you again! This is my living room!" James strode across to the kitchen and bellowed, "And this is _my_ kitchen! I own this whole bloody tower! If you ever darken my doorstep with your shadow again, I'll - "

"You can't just kick me out!" Lily exclaimed.

"Want to watch me?"

"Potter, have you forgotten the arrangements?" Lily grinned again, "We both own this 'house'. I have ownership as well."

James was speechless. Then he gathered himself together and said heavily, "I don't care, Evans. You - just get out. Now."

"It's a shame, Potter, but in case you've forgotten..." she got up, "I don't take orders from you!" Lily patted him on the shoulder sympathetically as she walked past him and went into her bedroom.

"Sweet dreams, Potter!"

---

"Mr Potter," Professor Dumbledore addressed his student.

"Sir," James said at once, leaning forward in his chair, "I was wondering if you could changes the rules regarding this independent living... regime you introduced... earlier this year..."

"Change the rules? I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Well... like... the ownership of our property and everything. I was wondering if you could make it possible to..." James trailed off, looking wary.

"To?" prompted Professor Dumbledore.

"...To rid myself of someone," James finished awkwardly.

Professor Dumbledore seemed amused, "Am I to understand that you wish me to change the arrangements a little so you can kick Miss Evans out of the Head tower?"

"Or you could just kick her out for me, if that's easier," James said hopefully.

Chuckling, Dumbledore said, "Ahh, Mr Potter... It is hard to forgive those who have insulted us deeply, but we must still forgive them, nonetheless."

James looked at his Headmaster with raised eyebrows and replied, "I'm _not_ insulted by what she's done... it's just..." he paused, shook his head and started again, "Look, sir, I just don't want to live _with_ her anymore. She's impossible, that girl! Some days she's alright, but others she'll go bonkers at you for nothing at all. And believe me, sir, she has a horrid temper. Like a dragon, actually. She's also got this annoying habit of leaving toast crumbs on the table every morning. Every morning! Anyway, sir, Evans is completely unbearable and I refuse to live in the same place as her."

"Mr Potter, you must understand that everyone has their faults - "

"But she has more faults than ordinary men!"

"Please let me finish, Mr Potter."

"Sorry."

"Miss Evans has her faults, and I am certain _you_ have many flaws that she finds less than attractive. Nonetheless, I have not seen her coming to me and asking for the removal of you."

"But sir... I never set a Boggart on her!"

"Whereas you have caused her to become violently sick and put her in the centre of public humiliation," Dumbledore said calmly, "You have treated her unfairly and disrespectfully, and we have been kind enough to let you escape without punishment because we know Miss Evans is strong. If I do say so myself, Mr Potter, you deserve what you got."

James' mouth dropped open. He closed and opened it several times, but nothing came out. Finally he shut it with a defeated face.

Professor Dumbledore had been watching him closely. To be true, he was very amused at the interaction he saw between Lily and James. The prominent man got onto his feet and turned his back to James with his hands behind him, his fingers interlocked.

"The only way you could officially remove Miss Evans from the Head tower, is if she sells her half of it to you. Remember, this is like real living. You can rent and sell your property to others - however, in this case, only you and Miss Evans can sell and rent to each other."

James looked up at him.

After several more seconds of silence, Dumbledore said, "If that is all, Mr Potter, you may leave."

"Thanks," James mumbled, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes as he shuffled out of his office. As soon as he was out, he let out a deep sigh and stared at the stone ceiling.

What help had that been? Sure, Dumbledore had told him the only possible way to kick Lily out of _his_ house (and his life), but fat chance she would _ever_ sell her half of the tower to him. Besides, where would she go then? They weren't, strictly speaking, allowed back into their own dormitories to sleep in.

James sighed heavily again, then scowled ferociously as he remembered the goose incident, and the humiliation that had engulfed him. The memory of it made him heat up, and he lowered his head to hide his face, even though the hall was empty.

_Evans... what am I going to do about you?_ he thought drearily.

---

Lily expected more trouble from James, but he didn't do anything. He had reverted back to his past time of pretending Lily didn't exist. He was away from the Head tower more and more, and this suited her fine. Lily had grown very accustomed to the cream-coloured living room, and she enjoyed sitting by the crackling fire place and doing her homework in peace.

On one such evening she took a break and began cooking her dinner. She had decided to give a hand at pasta, and it turned out edible enough. While she was eating, Lily read her story out loud.

" 'A strange feeling arose in her chest at those words. "Darling, are you in the earnest?" she asked in a breathless voice, hardly daring to believe it. "Yes, my love. Forever and always," he whispered...' ..." Lily stopped and frowned, "What should come after that?" she wondered out loud, putting down her story and taking another bite of her dinner, "Hmm..."

James went into the kitchen, threw open the pantry and took out a packet of raspberry tartlets. He didn't even look sideways at Lily as he went back into his bedroom, slamming the door. Similarly, Lily didn't show any sign of his presence.

" 'He whispered into her ear, in a loving and soft voice,' !" Lily exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. She quickly put down her fork and began scribbling madly.

There was a knock on the portrait door, and she looked up with a frown. James was in his room, and no one ever visited. Not even their friends, save once when Sirius let himself in.

"Who is it?" the redhead asked loudly.

She started when the portrait slowly creaked open and Professor McGonagall strode in, looking prominent and strict as always in her emerald green cloak.

"Professor!" Lily said, trying not to sound too surprised. She jumped up and hastily ran into the living room to meet her Head of House.

"Good evening, Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall said shrewdly, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all," Lily replied, smiling, "Um... would you like to sit? Or... have something to drink?"

Professor McGonagall gave her an indulgent smile, "Already behaving like an adult, are we? I must say, Miss Evans, I am impressed by your ettiquete. I would _like_ to say it is because of this new 'independent living' idea of the Headmaster's, but I know you have always been ladylike and well-mannered."

Lily blushed a little, "Thanks, Professor."

Her Transfiguration teacher nodded and sat down, saying, "But no thank you on the offer of a drink. Now, I know you are wondering why I have come to visit your common-room - " she looked around and gave an approving nod, " - and it is far neater than I anticipated, so congratulations on that."

Lily chuckled.

"You see, Miss Evans," continued the teacher, obviously eager to get straight to the point, "You have been donned the most achieved and brightest witch at Hogwarts."

Lily was struck dumb. "By who?" she asked in amazement.

Professor McGonagall gave her a relaxed smile and answered, "By me. And the other teachers put in a good word for you, too, especially Professor Flitwick."

"Oooh..." Lily had no idea what to say, and if she did she couldn't say it anyway. To be sure, her mind had blanked out on her and she was trying her best to get a grip on what was happening.

Finally, she managed a, "Great Merlin... thanks, professor."

"What this means," Professor McGonagall said smilingly, "Is that we have chosen you to go to Applemeade."

"Applemeade?" repeated Lily in a hushed voice, her green eyes lighting up with ecstasy.

"I trust you know what and where that is...?"

"Yes!" Lily exclaimed enthusiastically, "The counterpart to Hogsmeade! The only other complete wizarding settlement in all of Great Britain! Oh, professor, when am I to go there?"

"Next week, if you choose to accept," explained Professor McGonagall, "For five days you will lodge at the Hippogriff's Hut in Applemeade. They are having a meeting in the village about goblins' rights, and Professor Dumbledore is going there to speak. They invited one student from Hogwarts to come along and experience it, and thus that is where you come in."

Lily could hardly believe it. Five whole days at the quaint and magical Applemeade, which was a much older settlement than Hogsmeade. It had many old and fascinating buildings and places, and she couldn't wait to go there. The only problem was that it was a quiet area, and the elders who lived there hated new and young people. Lily wondered what they thought about this very important meeting taking place in their little village. Students and children preferred Hogsmeade by far, as it was much more exciting, but Lily had always wanted to visit Applemeade to appreciate its heritage.

"I'd love to," she said as calmly as she could, "Thank you so much, professor!"

Professor McGonagall smiled again, "It's quite all right, Miss Evans. You have worked very hard ever since you stepped into this castle, and going through all those hurdles Mr Potter put in front of you, you definitely deserve this."

Lily blushed again and looked down at the carpet, suddenly feeling very fond of the teacher sitting beside her, "It's not too hard having to put up with Potter... Well, at least not hard enough to earn me this brilliant opportunity!"

"You deserve a break from school, Miss Evans. You'll learn to breath easier at Applemeade, and enjoy the meeting as well. You can learn a lot more from this goblins' rights meeting than you could from ten History of Magic lessons. But there, I shouldn't speak ill of my colleagues," at this, Lily grinned, "Just go to the village and relax as much as you can, because when you return I daresay you'll be up to your neck with work. On a less serious note... how did you get that goose to attack Mr Potter?"

---

"Applemeade?" Rinoa repeated, flabbergasted, "Err... isn't that place really boring?"

"To you, maybe," Lily said with a scoff, walking back to her bed where her open trunk lay, "But I find it fascinating."

"Sure, sure," Rinoa said quickly, looking like she didn't believe her, "Mind you, it beats having to go to classes for a whole week."

Lily grinned as she dumped several more robes into her trunk, "That's right, Rin. While you're stuck in a depressing classroom listening to the droning... droning... droning... voice of Professor Binn, _I'll_ be sitting in a cheerfully lit bar, eating the most delicious, crispy, warm apple pie that was ever baked."

Rinoa frowned, "You're joking... their apple pies are _that_ good?"

"That's why it's called Applemeade! Their whole village is bordered with apple trees, and their apples are so luscious they make the _best_ apple pies."

"...Oh," Rinoa threw a rolled-up scarf at Lily, who ducked, "Aww, shut it then! And bring back some for me too."

Laughing, Lily straightened up and picked up her scarf, "Fat chance."

Rinoa stuck her tongue out at her.

"Oh yeah," Lily piped up, still striding around her room and packing for her trip, "I have a favour to ask of you."

"Oh no, no more favours," Rinoa said sternly, sitting cross-legged on Lily's bed and hugging her pillow, "I'm already doing you a huge one by not tying you to this four-poster and forbidding you to leave me here, all alone."

"You have Crysta."

"Oh. _Joy_."

"Well what about Remus then?" Lily said slyly.

But Rinoa surprised her by saying, "Yeah... I might stick with him during the week. Much better company than Crysta, anyway."

Lily looked torn, "Now come on... Crysta's our closest friend!"

Rinoa shrugged, "Sure she is... but she's been distant lately. And acting rather oddly, too. She actually _likes_ that Lydia girl! But anyway, what favour did you want?"

"Oooh..." Lily turned back to her packing, "Well, I need someone to fill me in as Head Girl during the Prefect meeting this Tuesday, and someone else to assume ownership of this _'property'_ while I'm gone. That's what McGonagall told me. What do you want?"

"Head Girl, definitely," Rinoa answered bluntly, "I'm no brainless prat, I know that "assuming ownership" means having to live here with that ghastly Potter, and tidying up this place as well. Waaay too much responsibility, having to own property."

"It's not that hard," Lily insisted, "But fine, I'll ask Crysta to do that for me."

"That'd make her day - no really, it would. She's got quite the soft spot for Potter. She wouldn't mind all this free space and having to clean up a little if it means being in close proximity with him," Rinoa looked disgusted.

Laughing, Lily said, "Dear old Crysta... I just hope she doesn't set the tower on fire."

---

Rinoa and Crysta had accepted their temporary tasks graciously enough, and Lily was in a very pleased mood as she boarded the carriage and had a long but interesting journey to Applemeade.

During these five days, Lily thoroughly enjoyed her time in the quaint village. She spent her balmy, cloudy days mostly outdoors, taking a tour around the area and exploring beautiful sites. On the day of the meeting, she was awed at the tense and anxious atmosphere of the huge hall, and silently listened to the wizards and witches debate. Lily shone with admiration when she saw Professor Dumbledore stand and give his testimony about goblin rights, knowing he was by far the best speaker at the meeting.

Rinoa performed dutifully as the substitute Head Girl at the Prefect meeting, though many felt she was less mature than Lily, and asked far too many questions. She was also always suggesting things such as, "No N.E.W.T's!" and when hearing a fact widely known in Hogwarts, such as no magic in the corridors, she asked accusingly, "Then how come those midget firsties don't get punished when they _do_ perform magic?"

"Call them first-years, please, Miss Leonhart."

Crysta also had an excellent week, and even found "friendship" in the one they call James Potter while she kept house for Lily in the Head tower. Of course, this didn't stop her becoming a bumbling idiot sometimes when in James' presence. She even cooked a few meals for and dined with him on some evenings.

Particularly revolted at her friend's behaviour and absence (as Crysta spend almost all day in the Head tower), Rinoa found companionship in Remus Lupin and even Peter Pettigrew. She sat with them in classes, during mealtimes, and chatted and laughed with them in the common-room. Sometimes, Rinoa and Remus would study together in the library, though it is questionable whether any proper study was undergone.

"One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war!"

Several seconds later...

"Aha, I won!" whispered a triumphant Rinoa, "Now you've got to go and get me _Hogwarts: A History_."

Remus looked at her beadily as he got up, "Alright then... but _next _time..." He made a slashing movement with his hand. Grinning, Rinoa looked back down at her essay. A minute later, she gasped when a heavy book made contact with her head lightly. She whirled around in her seat with an indignant, "You - !" but failed to hit her target in the chest when he grabbed her hands with a calm smile.

"Violent little one, huh?" he whispered bemusedly as he gently released her and went back to his seat.

"Only when provoked," Rinoa murmured back, pretended to be annoyed. She took the heavy book and opened it to her desired page. After working in silence for a couple of minutes, she threw a ball of parchment at Remus.

"What?" he hissed, pegging it back at her.

"Put it back for me, please!" _Chuck_.

"Fat chance!" _Throw._

"I said please!" _Peg._

"Ouch, that hurt!" _Chuck. Chuck._

"That's cheating!" _Peg. Peg. Peg. Peg._

"Great Merlin, how many do you have?" _Peg back. Peg back. Chuck. Chuck. Peg._

Their unruly behaviour was what often got them kicked out of the library. Not that they cared particularly. Laughing guiltily at the grief they had caused Madam Patraya, the two would then slowly make their way back up the Gryffindor tower, talking freely about anything and everything, and occasionally chasing each other for some reason or other.

However, though Rinoa was beginning to really enjoy Remus' company, she knew she had to be careful and not cross anymore lines. Lily was the closest thing as a sister to her, and she came first. Befriending a Marauder would be almost disloyal to her.

James was another person who had a nice, relaxed week. He spent most of his time with Lydia and Sirius, and it felt like their "old times" when they were younger, or their golden days during summer. James really loved being in Lydia's presence, although he always felt very self-conscious.

"James," she said one afternoon in the common-room, "What do you think about me going to Egypt?"

"Egypt?" James repeated blankly, "Oh... _what_?"

"Egypt," Lydia said again in a calm voice as she smoothed out wrinkles in her skirt, "After I finish my schooling. I want to go to Egypt for further studying."

"What can you possibly study in Egypt?" James demanded, for once letting his emotion show when speaking to her.

"Lots," Lydia looked at him with wide brown eyes, "It's not a well known fact, but Egypt is one of the best countries for magic studies. They have over fifty academies and schools, each one specialising in a different area. I was thinking about going into Arithmancy."

"Egypt?" James looked distasteful, "Lydia, I'm sure Britain and Italy have better schools than those in Egypt. You can learn plenty about Arithmancy here!"

"James, haven't you been listening? Egypt is one of the best! Definitely surpasses Italy, anyway."

He didn't say anything for two ticks, then he seemed to get an idea and said, "But you've already got such a great job, and you haven't even left school yet."

"Modelling?" Lydia said with a slight scoff, "James, it's fun and all, but that's not as far as I can go. I must've said this to Sirius dozens of times - " and at this, James jaw clenched very slightly, " - but I'm not just _looks._"

"I know that," James insisted quickly, "Of course I know that."

Lydia looked at him seriously, "Then you should understand why I want to continue my studies. And to reach my full potential - " (James was hanging onto her every word with his breath held) " - I _must_ go to the best there is. Mother and Father think Egypt is good, too."

James wasn't very keen on this idea of her travelling all the way out to a country she'd only been to once, for several years. He, however, couldn't find it in himself to argue with her, and the topic of conversation was soon changed, until the time for dinner came and James went back to the Head tower after dropping Lydia off at the Great Hall.

"Hello, James."

"Oh, hi Crysta."

As soon as he went into his common-room, James was greeted by the tall blonde girl who was cooking in the kitchen. He had been a bit unsettled with her constant presence, instead of the familiar short redhead who was seldom there, but Crysta was _much_ easier to get along with, and she hung onto his every word as well as obeyed all his requests.

In short, though she was Lily's friend, Crysta was exactly like all those other admiring girls James had come across many a time, and he enjoyed being worshipped rather than being challenged.

_Challenged..._

James twitched involuntarily. Just the mere _thought_ of Lily and her unladylike ways made him tremble - with anger. And perhaps fear. But more anger.

As he and Crysta sat down to dinner, he tried to shut the image of _goose, Lily, big crowds of people snickering_ out, but to no avail. He had managed to get through the week without strangling someone because Lily was away at a retirement village (or something like that), and this suited him just fine. But that wasn't going to be forever...

She was going to come back.

And James hated knowing that.

If only there was a way to get rid of her, once and for all. If she wasn't so stubborn, perhaps she'd leave if he asked her politely... James had no clue why she wanted to stay with him, anyway. She hated him as much as he hated her! Where was the logic in _wanting_ to live with someone you hated?

But that was to be expected. Lily Evans had no brains.

Ignoring the fact that she was top of the grade.

James grimaced over his spaghetti. Crysta looked up, her brow furrowed.

"Are you alright, James?"

"Oh," James grunted, looking up briefly, "Fine."

Satisfied, Crysta smiled and went back to eating and thinking up of conversation-starters.

James, on the other hand, thought back to what Dumbledore had said.

_"The only way you could officially remove Miss Evans from the Head tower, is if she sells her half of it to you..."_

He grimaced again. He supposed he was doomed to have Lily in his Head tower forever... or however long this ridiculous regime went for. If only he could get rid of her... or even better, make her obey his every command - err, that is, request. Life would be so much easier.

Just as James was about to accept the fact and start devising a timetable to avoid her at all costs, Crysta spoke up.

"I'll be leaving soon," she said wistfully, looking around the room, "To be honest, I'm not _that_ sorry... having complete ownership and responsibility of this place is quite exhausting. And it's only temporary. But it's all been worth it," she smiled shyly at him, "To spend some time with you."

It was as if a light bulb had been switched on in his head. No, James did not think much of her flirtatious smile. It was what she had said before...

James immediately beamed at her, which made her blush terribly.

"Say, Crysta, would you like to do me a favour?"

---

An exhausted but happy Lily walked up the castle steps to the double doors, pulling up her trunk with her. Night had fallen and most students had probably already finished dinner. She walked into the Entrance Hall and blithely made her way to the Head tower, eager to get back.

She had enjoyed Applemeade immensely, but she had missed Hogwarts. It was good to be back in the welcoming and warm castle.

Lily was relieved to find out the password had not changed since she had left, otherwise it meant she had to ask James. She wasn't particularly eager to talk to him, but she hoped he was more human now that he had time to recover since the goose incident.

Heh... she still couldn't believe his Boggart was a goose.

When she dragged her trunk in, slightly breathless from the effort, she looked around in appreciation. Lily smiled as she saw the familiar cream and peach interior. After a minute or two, she pulled her trunk along to her bedroom door. Half-hoping Crysta hadn't locked it, Lily pulled the handle. It wouldn't open. Sighing, Lily released her trunk and looked through her bag for her key, mentally reminding herself to ask Crysta for her spare one back.

She put it in the lock.

It wouldn't fit.

"What the..." she muttered, feeling irritated now. Lily tried to put it in the keyhole again, but there was no doubt about it. The key was much too big for the hole. She turned it upside and at all angles, but her attempts were fruitless.

Lily frowned. Her key had fitted every other occasion.

She heard a door open and whirled around; James had come out of his bedroom. He looked at her with raised eyebrows, then smirked and flounced to the sofa.

Lily sighed. She'd have to ask him.

"Potter," she said as if it was killing her to talk to him.

James didn't bother to turn around, "_What_?" he asked aggressively.

"Do you know why my key doesn't fit?" she asked him evenly.

After a moment's pause he said maliciously, "I suspect it's got something to do with that blonde friend of yours. She _was_ keeping house for you, wasn't she?"

"Don't pretend like you didn't know that," Lily snapped, fed up.

James sat up and had the decency to look at her, "Temper, temper, Evans," his lips curved into a smirk, "For what you're about to find out soon... I'd keep that foul mouth of yours shut."

Lily rolled her eyes and stalked out of the common-room with her trunk (there was no way she'd leave it there with that prat), muttering, "_Honestly_..."

It took a lot of effort and time to drag herself up the Gryffindor tower. By the time she found out the password and went into the common-room, she was extremely tired.

"LILY!"

"Oh, no - " the owner of the name gasped just as a mass of black hair covered her face; spluttering, she realised Rinoa was hugging her.

"You're back, you're back!" the petite girl squealed, jumping up and down, "I wasn't expecting to see you till morning! Oh my gosh! When did you come back? Was it good? Did you bring me back any apple pies?"

Lily managed a chuckle as Rinoa released her, "Nuh... pity, though. They were delicious."

Rinoa pretended to glare at her, then laughed musically and hugged her again, "It's so good to see you, Lil. What's with the trunk though? Are you planning to stay here for the night?" she exclaimed, looking excited.

"Oh... no," Lily said resignedly, remembering why she was even here, "I came to see Crysta, actually... I need to ask her about my key."

Rinoa nodded, "Well, I _think_ she's up in the dorm," she shrugged, "Haven't seen much of her, lately. I think she's upset that she can no longer stay in your _lovely_ Head tower. She loved that."

Chuckling again, Lily started, "She must be mad - "

"Lily!"

Crysta was trotting down the girls' dormitory stairs, her cheeks flushed and her long blonde hair flying out behind her. Rinoa immediately rolled her eyes.

"Hi, Crysta."

Crysta beamed at Lily and gave her a quick hug.

"So, how was it?"

"It was..." Lily noticed that Rinoa had gone to sit with Remus and Peter, "Good. Um, Crysta, I need to ask you about my bedroom door. Do you know why my key doesn't fit?"

"Oh, goodness," her blue eyes grew wide, "Didn't James tell you?"

Lily was immediately filled with dread and said cautiously, "Tell me what?"

Crysta smiled, "I sold your bedroom to him."

Lily gaped at her.

For a moment, none of those words made sense.

"You what?" she gasped after a short pause where the news sunk into her.

"Well, not _just_ your bedroom," Crysta continued quite happily, oblivious to the fact that Lily was now gawking at her as if she had grown an extra head, "Your half of the Head tower, actually."

"You sold my _house_ to him?" Lily said in a kind of horrified whisper, after another deadly stunned pause. Desperately trying to gain control of the situation, she stuttered, "_What_... what on _bloody_ earth possessed you to do that?"

Her voice was ringing with absolute disbelief, and no one could really blame her.

"Lily," Crysta hissed, glancing around her, "Keep it down a little. Well, anyway, he asked me to."

"And you just SOLD it to him?" Lily almost yelped, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Well... since you both don't really like each other, I thought I'd do you a favour. He gets the whole tower to himself, and you can come back and sleep in our dormitory," Crysta said simply.

"Are you thick?" Lily shouted out of clear disbelief, wondering where her quiet, sensible friend had gone, "I can't just come back, it's against the rules! Oh dear _Merlin_!" she turned around and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths.

_This cannot be happening._

_  
This cannot be happening._

_This really cannot be happening._

After a few more seconds, she turned back to Crysta and said dangerously, "Alright. Tell me again. Did you _seriously_ sell my half to him?"

"Yes."

"ARGH!" Lily shrieked, putting her hands to her head, and Rinoa immediately rushed over and put an arm around her.

"Let's go upstairs, shall we?" she said calmly, "Move it, come on... don't dawdle now..." She pushed Crysta and Lily towards the staircase, "There we go. Nothing to see here, folks," she added airily to the students who were staring at them.

Once they were safely inside their dormitory, Rinoa shut the door and turned around.

"How the hell could you just sell it to him, Crysta?" she demanded, hands on hips.

"Oh, take her side, I knew you would - " Crysta began nastily.

"You sold the place where I live, Crysta!" Lily exclaimed hotly, still unable to believe it. Everything was so nightmarishly wrong.

"Don't be so mad about it," the blonde replied, "It's not as if you've got nowhere to go."

"I _do_ have nowhere to go!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you have this whole castle to find a room to sleep in," she said in what was supposed to be a consoling voice, but which only made Lily even more annoyed.

"It's not just that, Crysta," Lily shouted, her face flushed indignantly, "You - you - YOU SOLD MY BLOODY HOUSE, WOMAN!"

"Alright Lil, just calm down," Rinoa said soothingly, "Sit down, okay? We'll work this out - "

"How much?" Lily demanded of Crysta, her eyes oddly bright.

"What?" Crysta asked, puzzled.

Lily grunted impatiently, "How much did you sell it for?"

"Oh, that. Twenty Galleons."

Lily's jaw dropped open.

No.

She could _not_ be serious.

Absolutely not.

Crysta was pulling her leg.

She had been pulling it all night.

Oh dear _Merlin_...

"Twenty Galleons," Lily deadpanned.

Rinoa moaned and put her hands in her head, "Crysta..."

"Yes, twenty Galleons," Crysta said contritely, "And _what_, Rinoa?"

Silence...

"YOU SOLD MY HOUSE FOR TWENTY GALLEONS, ARE YOU MENTAL?" Lily shrieked, picking up a pillow, charging at Crysta and beating her with it, "TWENTY - GALLEONS - MY - FOOT - YOU - NEED - TO - GO - TO - ST. - MUNGO'S!"

"Lily!" Rinoa cried out in anguish, "STOP!" She wrestled the pillow out of Lily's grip, and the redhead turned around and stalked to the other side of the room, after glowering at the flustered Crysta.

"I need to get out of here," Lily muttered to herself, "I can't believe this is - give me the money."

A frightened Crysta obeyed instantly. She gave the money bag to Lily who snatched it off her, "And my key." Crysta handed her the small golden key on a chain.

"Right. Good night," Lily mumbled, clearly distressed. And she stormed out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common-room and out into the corridor. She was still so overwhelmed with fury and disbelief that in no time at all, she found herself in the Head tower again.

"POTTER!"

James looked up.

"GIVE - ME - BACK - MY - HOUSE!" Lily screeched, taking furious strides towards him.

"No," James said calmly.

Lily glowered at him, "Why bloody not?"

"Because you're being rude."

"Would you rather me do a tap-dance and sing for it?" Lily said sarcastically, feeling rebellious and tardy.

James wrinkled his nose, "No, of course not. And I will not give it back to you, because I bought it fair and square. Cost me twenty Galleons."

"You did not buy it fair and square!" Lily shot back, "You took advantage of my dim-witted - well, that dim-witted _witch_ and made her sell it to you! You can't do that! Now give it back."

"No."

"...POTTER!"

"What?"

"For the love of Merlin," Lily took a deep breath, and with a great stab of effort said calmly, "_I_ wasn't the one who sold it to you. That's gotta amount to something, right?"

"You gave her full ownership," James told her, his lips curling into a taunting smile, "She was responsible for your property. You gave her the right to do anything. And thus, she sold it to me."

"I - this - damn you, Potter!" Lily yelled, her fists balled, "I'm gonna go to Dumbledore, he'll make you give it back to me with a foot long parchment of apologies, you just watch..."

"Suit yourself, Evans," James said loudly, picking up the book he had been reading. He smiled with satisfaction as he watched her stomp out of the common-room with her head held high, still muttering incoherently.

And stomp around Lily continued to do, even as she went up the spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office.

"Miss Evans, why - " the Headmaster started cheerfully.

"Professor, you _must_ kill James Potter for me!"

"Excuse me?" a startled Professor Dumbledore asked, straightening his hat which had shook as he started.

Ergh.

That probably hadn't been the best thing to say.

"I mean," Lily took a deep breath, knowing she must look ridiculous and childish the way she was behaving, but she didn't care, "You must make him give me back my bedroom!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to explain yourself, my dear," Professor Dumbledore said, obviously still surprised as his clear blue eyes twinkled in amusement, "Has Mr Potter, by any chance, employed trolls to stand guard at your bedroom door?"

"Yes! I mean, no, I mean he..." and she launched into a hasty and indignant explanation, which was aided by many of her own exclaims and furious looks. At the end of it, Lily was slumped in a comfortable armchair, looking worn.

Dumbledore had listened attentively. Now he looked like he disapproved, yet still amused.

"Yes, this is a bit of a pickle," he agreed tranquilly, watching Lily, "But I see no way around it."

Lily sat bolt right up, wide-eyed, "No! Professor, there _has_ to be - "

"Miss Evans, you knew the rules. When you left for Applemeade you gave full ownership of your property to Miss Robin. You trusted her - "

"And that was a huge mistake," Lily said darkly.

" - and, well, yes, you're right," Dumbledore admitted congenially.

"But why do I have to be punished?" the redhead cried despairingly, as the light of hope inside her was extinguished.

Dumbledore looked at her sympathetically and answered softly, "Because you made the mistake of trusting her."

Lily was speechless. She looked down at the floor, feeling down trod and hopeless and betrayed. How could Crysta have done this to her? The stress of the night began to get to her and she felt a lump rise in her throat.

It was awhile before Professor Dumbledore spoke again.

"Miss Evans, it is late - "

"You can't honestly suggest I go to bed. Where am I supposed to go?"

"There is a classroom near the dungeons, you may stay there for the night."

"And do I have to live there for the rest of the year? What am I going to eat? How am I going to do my chores?" Lily wanted to know, her voice rising slightly. Her green eyes were wide and bright so that she looked a bit mad.

Dumbledore shook his head and said informatively, "In the morning, you will go straight to Mr Potter. Negotiate with him and see if you can buy your half back."

"And what if he won't sell it back?" Lily said stubbornly.

Dumbledore inclined his head, "Then I will talk to him."

"Do you promise, sir?" she said pleadingly, for a moment reminding the elderly man of an appraising little girl, "Does that mean I'll definitely be sleeping in my bed by tomorrow night?"

The Headmaster considered this for a moment, then nodded.

Lily seemed satisfied. Now all she wanted was to go and have a long sleep. The ache in her head was throbbing madly now and she felt as though if she received any more distressing news, she'd go insane.

Dumbledore escorted Lily down to the dungeons. She shivered as she tugged her trunk along, which she had been dragging with her all over the castle.

The room was smaller than most classrooms at Hogwarts, and it was draughty and cold. The ground had floorboards but the walls were stone, and the only pieces of furniture were a table and a couple of chairs.

The Headmaster conjured up a sleeping bag, a pillow and another blanket, before leaving Lily to organize herself in the freezing classroom.

"Good night, Miss Evans."

"Night," she mumbled back, feeling as though this was one of the worst nights in her life. She closed the door and laid out the sleeping bag, still shivering violently as she did so. She changed into her pyjamas and slipped into the sleeping bag, which she had also covered with the blanket.

Minutes later, she had to get out again. It was dreadfully cold down near the dungeons, and her breath was coming out as misty puffs. She opened her trunk, pulled on a sweater, slipped back into the sleeping bag and covered her head with another jumper.

She rolled over and she was asleep.

---

_So... bloody... cold..._

_Why is the floor so... hard?_

Lily woke up from what had been quite a peaceful sleep. Yawning and sitting up, she looked around the classroom sleepily and was about to dive under her covers again when she suddenly jerked back up, wide awake.

Unfortunately, she remembered.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Five minutes later, a furious Lily was running up the stairs ungraciously, due to her dragging her unlucky trunk which was nightmarishly messy. (She had got up and stuffed everything inside, without even bothering to change out of her pyjamas.)

"Sour green apple bubblegum!" she told the portrait impatiently.

"What happened to you, dear?" the lady asked curiously, but Lily ignored her. She pushed her way into the living room and found whom she had been looking for; James.

"What happened to you?" was the first thing he snickered.

"I need to talk to you," Lily said quietly.

"Sure, but make it quick," James said mockingly, still grinning at her appearance, "Don't want a pathetic little girl like you to stay too long in _my_ house."

It was by one of the hardest things Lily had ever had to do to stop herself from lunging at Potter and masquerading as a goose.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at him in the eye and held out the money bag, "Here's the twenty Galleons you paid for. Can you please sell me back my house?"

It was horrid. Absolutely horrid, asking so politely and _desperately_. And to such a person, as well!

James looked at the money bag with an upturned nose, "No, Evans. I will not."

Such desperation rose up in Lily that she sprang up with her cheeks flushed, "Potter, _please_! Show a bit of respect for me for once in your life! Just sell it back to me! I've got nowhere else to go except for that bloody dungeon and it's _cold_ in there, Potter, really, really _cold_! It's awful! I'm probably going to come down with pneumonia. Just please, please, _please_ sell it back to me. I'll pay you an extra five Galleons, if only you just let me _stay_ here!"

She really was a pathetic little girl, Lily bitterly reflected later on.

James was smiling now. As she took deep breaths, Lily grew wary. She hated it when he smiled at her. He was always up to something no good.

"I haven't touched your room. All your belongings are still there. It's exactly the same as you left it, unless that friend of yours messed it up," James sounded as though he didn't think much of Crysta. He paused for suspense before saying graciously, "I'll let you stay. But on one condition."

"What?" Lily asked in a whisper, knowing it had to be something absolutely unthinkable.

James smiled cruelly, "You have to do everything I say. You have to cook and clean for me, you have to follow what I tell you and obey what I ask of you. In other words, you have to be my little house-elf."

Lily had been expecting as much that she didn't even feel the slightest bit of shock. She just nodded in assent, feeling like she had just sold her soul to the devil himself.

"Good," James couldn't hide the triumph in his voice, "Sign this contract, then."

Lily looked up with an raised eyebrow, but took the piece of parchment gingerly. It listed pretty much what James had said before. She picked up a quill and scribbled her signature, feeling doubly worse.

Cheerily, James snatched the quill and parchment, looking at it hungrily.

"Right," he said briskly, as he withdrew a miniscule golden key and handed it to her, "I expect toast and scrambled eggs every morning by six-thirty. Even on Sundays."

"You don't even wake up that early!" the redhead yelped angrily, immediately dropping the key she had been examining downheartedly.

James suddenly glared at her, "I do now."

Lily could do nothing but shoot him a filthy look, feeling the full repercussions of the contract she had signed. James, noticing her forced silence, grinned. Everything was going _beautifully._

Lily got up and moved to her bedroom silently, hoping to put as much distance between herself and that - that - that _boy_.

"Oi, where do you think you're going?"

_To die in peace, you git_.

"To sleep, Potter, I'm tired," was what she wearily said instead.

"I don't think so," James said tauntingly, and Lily halted midway and shut her eyes in dread, "You can go and get yourself cleaned up - Good Merlin, is that what you really look like without brushing your hair? - but then you come right back out and start making bread."

"It's past breakfast," she returned tiredly.

"I'm not going to eat it for breakfast, you silly girl," James said impatiently, "Don't you remember? I don't eat just any old bread. It must be homemade. You start making bread for me - " Lily's eyes widened, " - and I'll start sampling it. I just hope you're quicker than Sally was."

"Potter..." Lily started weakly, finding herself in the position of pleading with him again, "I've never made bread before. I don't know how to knead dough. For goodness' sake, I don't even know how to _make_ dough."

"Now's the time to start learning. Don't worry, Evans," James chuckled unpleasantly, "We have the whole day ahead of us."

Lily sighed heavily and went into her bedroom, slamming the door. Her room _did_ look untouched and exactly as she had left it - but Lily didn't think much of it. She dropped herself on her bed and screamed into her pillow.

One day, she would murder James Potter.

Crysta Robin would be right after him.

----------

A/N: RA! x) Happy New Year everyone! I hope this year treated you well and blessed you greatly. If it hasn't, then we'll form a rally and laugh at it maliciously while 2006 comes and slaughters it! xD Haha, take _that_ miztah 2005. Tuehehehe! _(kicks Crysta)_ Who needs her, anyway? Annoying girl, she be. And _wow_. Thank you for your reviews! x) _Phat_ hugs for Zippy-Wings, scarlet emerald, -ShIvErInG sMiLe-, Master Mono, watersprite87, Miss Myrtle360, Eleira312, Shoelia, Faith Maguire, SeekerGirl17, gldnsunsprite21 and MarauderGirl101 for reviewing chapter 7! xD And if you've added this story to your favourites, good gravy, I take my hat off to you! x) Now I must depart and WRITE MORE - cough - and yerse x) off I be! Sayanora. xD --MSQ.

PS. Everyone's special coz it's the new year. x)


	9. Uncalled For Pandemonium

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Nine ll Uncalled For Pandemonium**

----------

Lily winced at the freezing water as it gushed over her hands. She picked up a sponge and scrubbed it against the plate, every now and then cursing James Potter in her head.

It was Sunday morning, just one day after Lily had "sold her soul" and already she had gotten used to becoming a _house-elf_. They had just had breakfast (toast and scrambled eggs), and James had made her make the bread again, shouting that he had not been almost poisoned all of yesterday for nothing.

Which Lily thought was rather unfair. It had taken her around forty times to get the bread right for James, and she was sure that at least thirty of those times the bread had definitely been edible.

Besides, the smell of baking bread the last few hours had made her dizzy.

Reflecting that it was a lot like Potions, Lily rinsed the last few plates and stacked them on the rack to dry. She wiped her hands on the towel and was about to escape into her bedroom when James came out.

"I'm going to the common-room. Make sure you've wiped down the kitchen and tidied up the living room by the time I come back," he told her with the ghost of a smirk before he left.

Lily glared at his retreating back, pursing her lips as she looked around. The living room didn't even _need_ tidying up!

"Oh, I'm so going to get him back one day..." she murmured viciously, but nonetheless spent the next hour dutifully straightening up the Head tower.

James went to meet up with his friends whom he hadn't spent that much time with, especially Remus and Peter. He felt a bit guilty about this; he had made less of an effort to catch up with them since Lydia came.

The four Marauders sat down at their place in the common-room and talked for old time's sake. As they made jibes at each other, James' eyes did a little trip around the room, where many other Gryffindors were engaging in loud games of Exploding Snap, otherwise just talking away the morning.

Lydia was sitting with her girl friends, and the group of them were gossiping merrily. All of them were sneaking hopeful looks at James, except for Lydia, save once when she glanced around and smiled brightly at him when their eyes met.

Remus grinned and turned round to Sirius, "I guess you're right," he said soberly, glancing at James, "He really does fancy Lydia."

Sirius returned the grin cheekily as James whirled around, "What did I say?" Sirius said obstinately as the others laughed at the dignified look on James' face, mingled with embarrassment.

"Oh, shut up," he said irritably, though he was getting flustered, "She's a good person and a great friend."

"Looks like those other girls could be 'great friends' as well," Sirius said obnoxiously, craning his head to get a better look. His face broke into a cocky grin, "_And_ they keep looking at us! Hey Prongs, they're cute."

"So what?" James asked uncomfortably.

Sirius shot him a look, "The heart's only for Lyd, eh?"

"Come on, now," Remus said in a reasonable voice, though he looked mischievous, "We all know James can get any girl he wants - he _is_ the most desirable."

James was, by popular vote, the most good-looking boy at Hogwarts. Most girls preferred his cute and soft features, and his baby-face look. However, Sirius was also very handsome in a different way, with fine, chiselled-out features and glittering eyes. Also, while James was a bit awkward and stand-offish with all the attention he received, Sirius knew exactly how to charm the ladies and was a bright, confident and energetic young man.

Unfortunately, he was also a bit of a player.

"The most desirable?" Sirius repeated, pretending to be hurt, "I think we all know who that title belongs to." He grinned charmingly, fluttering his eyelashes.

Remus sniggered and Peter chortled.

"What? I'll even prove it," and with the air of one's morale damaged, Sirius got up and went over to the girls with something of a swagger.

"You can't be serious," James said in a low voice, stunned.

Remus laughed again.

"Hello ladies," Sirius said in a deep and pleasant voice, draping either arm around two girls who gasped and giggled, setting the circle of them off, "And Lyds," he grinned and inclined his head to the somewhat amused and bewildered Lydia. The other girls were obviously impressed that she was on speaking terms with him.

"Sirius," she returned lightly, with a hint of a blush.

"So," Sirius said charmingly, looking around, "What were you girls talking about? Do continue."

The girls all gabbled over one another to talk, speaking in clear, sweet voices and giggling madly. Lydia, however, hesitated, and in the end kept her mouth shut. She watched carefully as her newly-made "friends" all turned on each other just to talk to Sirius, and as he smiled handsomely at them and flirted playfully, dishing out compliments left and right and not removing his arms from the two girls.

"He is so full of himself," James said wonderingly, as he and the other two continued to watch.

"They're just hanging onto his every word," Remus noted in a sceptical voice, "It's actually quite..."

"Sad?"

"Yeah. It is."

But James wasn't only watching the sprightly Sirius; his gaze often switched back to Lydia, who he noticed was looking at Sirius flirt with the other girls with a murky complexion.

What business did she have, looking so upset?

_Lydia..._ _Sirius?_

James felt his heart turn to stone.

He had feared it. Ever since they were old enough to understand these feelings, James had had a sinking impression that Lydia had more-than-platonic feelings for Sirius. But James had always pushed these half-formed thoughts away... it couldn't be possible... the three of them were best friends, they weren't _allowed_ to feel for one another...

_But what about me?_

James felt his veins expand and contract as he took a deep breath. He forced another look at Lydia, who was still watching Sirius in a disapproving elegance, and he quickly looked away.

Chest heaving and heart hurting, James thought bitterly.

_He'd never like her. He's a player._

---

James returned to the tower, his bad mood starting to show its ugliness when he had snapped at Peter and grunted in reply at Remus' enquiring look. He couldn't help but be crabby as Lydia's dejected look floated in his mind - and his hands curled into tight fists.

What did she _see_ in Sirius?

The common-room was empty, something which gave James savage pleasure. He would take out his frustration on Lily - where _was_ that infernal girl, anyhow? She was supposed to be cleaning and it was evident she hadn't finished because a wet cloth was lying on the coffee table.

_How_ many times had he told her (in the past forty-eight hours of their contract) not to leave things lying around? James couldn't stand a messy house, unless it meant _he_ had to clean it up.

Just as the ill-ridden James Potter was about to bellow, "EEEEEEEEVAAAAAAAAAAAANS!", he physically jumped when he heard some violent pounding on the portrait door outside.

"OI!" a girl's voice yelled, "Lily Evans, let me in!"

In a jolting, terrifying spasm, James did the first thing that came to his mind (and he was mighty glad no one was around to witness) - he leapt across the living room, and crashed into his bedroom, taking care to close his door as gently as possible.

"LIIIILY!" the girl continued to holler.

"Coming, coming!" Lily yelled hastily, bursting out from _her_ bedroom a second later, "Hold your horses, lady! The password is 'sour green apple bubblegum'."

"Why is it so long?" Rinoa grumbled as she walked in, "_Whoa_. Nice place."

"Huh," Lily snorted, "Try cleaning it."

Rinoa grinned, "You must know I am completely on your side, and will be your back-up in case you fail to assassinate Potter and Barbie, but I can't deny it's hilarious knowing you're a housewife."

James, who had been eavesdropping with his ear against his door, was nonplussed. What on earth was _Barbie_?

"I am _not_ a housewife!"

"Fine. A house-elf."

"...Hey Rinoa. Let's start an organisation," Lily exclaimed, suddenly bright. Her eyes were shining with inspiration Rinoa had seen many a time when she was working on a story.

"What organisation, exactly?" Rinoa asked testily.

"You know, for the rights of house-elves. It's cruelty and slavery the way they're treated!"

James scoffed. Evans really did not know her stuff. House-elves were _made_ for slavery.

Rinoa rolled her eyes, "Uh huh. No thanks."

"But - " Lily blinked rapidly when an owl zoomed in from the open kitchen window, bearing a Muggle letter of paper in its beak.

"Who's it from?" Rinoa asked quickly as the bewildered redhead took the envelope.

Lily studied it and her face softened, "Mum."

"Oh," Rinoa said happily, "C'mon, let's sit down and you can read it."

James dared to open his door a crack - and through his little peek he saw that both girls had sat on the couch. Lily was tearing open her letter while Rinoa was looking around the living room.

Her dark brown eyes wandered over to the kitchen.

"Say, you got any food?"

"Help yourself."

_Excuse me? This is my house!_ James thought indignantly, but couldn't find it in himself to come out and start yelling at them. He felt... strangely abashed. Not to mention foolish. Whoever heard of hiding in your own house to eavesdrop?

Well, he supposed it wasn't _that_ unheard of.

Humming to herself, Rinoa threw open the pantry and was delighted to see some chocolate biscuits inside.

The petite girl crammed one into her mouth and brought the whole packet back into the living room, where Lily was reading her letter with a sinking heart.

"Wha wun?"

Lily's expression had glazed over, but she instantly snapped out of it. "Oh, thanks..." she said without much feeling, her eyes growing misty again.

Rinoa frowned and swallowed hugely, "Lil? What did the letter say?"

Lily blinked and sighed heavily, folding the piece of paper up and sliding it back into the white envelope, "It's... my mum. She was telling me that... she sold Full House."

_Full House?_ James blinked several times, those two words ringing in his ears like church bells. That house... but it couldn't be...

"Oh, Lily!" Rinoa gasped, crawling closer to Lily, "She can't have! That's your home! Your father designed and built _and_ named it, didn't he? Merlin, why'd she sell it?"

_Her home? Full House is her home?_

"Maybe it's the season," the redhead joked weakly.

Rinoa's brow furrowed, "Lily, that is so lame."

"Well, Crysta was enticed to do the same, wasn't she?" she said defensively.

"Yeah, but she's an airhead," Rinoa said obstinately, making her best friend laugh, "Your mother, on the other hand, is smart and sweet. There must have been a reason! Your house is the most beautiful place I've ever been to, and last time I was there didn't she say it was going to be passed down Evans by Evans, never leaving the family?"

Lily shrugged lifelessly, "That was before my dad died, wasn't it?"

James, who had been leaning out and straining his ears, suddenly drooped and almost crashed onto the floor. He had no idea... her father wasn't alive? He was suddenly filled with emotion - _pity_ for the girl he detested so much.

"Well... yeah, but... how...?" Rinoa asked, confused.

"Mum says it's too hard to keep it," sighed Lily remorsefully, "It's such a big house and she's terribly lonesome in it. And you know... Dad was the bread winner. We just don't have enough money to maintain it anymore. And Petunia moved out, the stupid girl, to live with that awful fiance of hers."

"Why doesn't she stay in Full House?" Rinoa demanded angrily, looking outraged, "Keep your poor mother company?"

"Apparently it's because it reminds Petunia too much of Dad."

"And is that not a good thing?"

"No, because it reminds her of his death."

Rinoa didn't know what to say. James didn't know what to think and was confused at this stirring feeling that was rising in him.

Lily sighed again, "But I know that's not it. It's because it's too far away from town. Dad chose the location because it's nice and peaceful and quiet. We could make all the noise we wanted and not disturb anyone, because the only living things around us were trees. Petunia can't stand that. She loves to show off, and how can she if it's all the way out in the middle of nowhere? Nope... she wants neighbours all round."

"But your dad! He wouldn't want you to sell it! He'd want you and your mum to stay in it!"

Lily smiled sadly at Rinoa's indignation, "Full House was meant for me after Petunia left. Dad always told me, even when I was little, that it'd be mine some day, to grow old in with the person I love and to look after my children. But..."

Her emerald eyes filled with years, "...I suppose I won't be, anymore. Dammit, I _hate_ crying," Lily wiped her eyes angrily and sniffed loudly, "But it's not just a bloody house! It's part of me and my family, no one else has the right to live in it!"

Rinoa, feeling a bit damp-eyed herself, reached out and hugged Lily, who burst into hot and hurt tears in her shoulder.

James quietly shut his bedroom door and slumped against it, looking up at the ceiling with a heavy heart. For some odd reason, he felt a lot worse about this than he had about his own problems with Lydia.

---

That night, James was sitting in his common-room, wondering how on earth this had happened. It was just so... _weird_, the way he and Lily kept meeting. Odd coincidences.

In his hand he held a lengthy scroll of parchment; it was a letter from his parents he had received a fortnight ago. James had merely glanced at it upon its arrival - but tonight he had studied it carefully.

It _could_ be possible that it was a different house altogether... but James highly doubted it. It wasn't very common for Muggles to name their houses, and this one seemed to fit the description...

He sighed sorrowfully and flung his head back, crumpling his letter a bit.

To be perfectly honest, James was worried about Lily. Watching her cry like that had been oddly unsettling and he was quite sure he never wanted to see it again. He hated to see people cry.

But what was he supposed to do now? He _did_ want to cheer her up, but he didn't see how.

The portrait door creaked open and Lily stepped in. James looked up and his heart gave an uncomfortable tug. Her eyes were puffy and her face was tear-stained. She looked truly miserable.

"Potter," Lily said croakily, "What do you want me to do? Please don't make the list too long... I just want to go to bed."

"Nothing - err - yes, nothing. Just... just go to bed, then. I'll manage dinner myself - and breakfast tomorrow," James blurted out, taking even himself by surprise. Lily looked at him shrewdly, then nodded without smiling and shuffled off.

There, he suppose that had been considerate enough.

...But it was _his_ fault she'd have to do chores in the first place!

Then a question arose.

Why did he even _care_?

_Well_, James thought, fishing around for reasons, _I don't want a mopey little house-elf, for one thing._

And also, it was unnerving seeing someone this upset - and this time it wasn't even his fault. He could see he was part of the problem - a big part, _perse_ - but that was off the topic.

He'd have to do something else... something _thoughtful_. He think he'd go mad with such a devoid house-elf.

Perhaps he should stop calling her that - even if it was just in his head.

But it was fun!

Ahem.

James frowned. How did you cheer up people whose houses have been sold? He wasn't sure if people usually attempted to do these things. They probably didn't _need_ cheering up.

But this was a unique situation.

He sat there by himself in the living room for most of the night, growing drowsier and drowsier as he tried to think harder and harder. Just as he was about to nod off, James forced himself to stand up and collect his Invisibility Cloak. He had a _chore_ to do.

---

The next morning, a groggy Lily got up and stayed in bed for a little while, blinking confusedly at the ceiling and wondering why she felt so bad. Then she remembered - and she rolled on her side and squeezed her eyes shut.

_Don't be stupid, it's just a house._

But Full House wasn't just any old house. She had lived in it for as long as she could remember, and had sorely missed it when she was at Hogwarts. But now, to know it wasn't even hers anymore...

Lily felt her heart break.

As she painstakingly got ready, she remembered that James had told her not to worry about making breakfast, which meant she didn't even have to get up this early.

James had surprised her to no end - but she had been too upset the day before to think too much of it.

Lily had to smile a little.

If she didn't know James, Lily mused as she brushed her hair, she'd have thought he had noticed her long face and was being sympathetic towards her. But she knew he didn't care. He was probably sick or something, that had to be it. No other explanation as to why he was acting so _human_.

Still, Lily had her doubts about this when she went outside and saw that James had actually gotten up early to make breakfast - for _her_ as well, nonetheless.

"Just made a bit extra and I thought you'd like it," he said in an attempt to sound airy and careless, but Lily's heart swelled with gratitude and she smiled at him.

They ate their porridge in a subdued silence. It was lumpy and _awfully_ sweet, but Lily forced it down, still pondering on the ever-exhausting mystery that was James Potter.

Had he eaten something wrong? Lily wondered as she watched him eat his porridge. Why was he behaving so abnormally, as if he actually felt _sorry_ for her?

"Oh," James broke the silence, "By the way, there was something left for you." He pointed to the coffee table, where a white box lay.

Lily looked at it in incredulity. She finished the last of her sugary porridge, put her bowl in the sink and walked to the coffee table, bursting with curiosity. James pretended to continue eating, but watched eagerly.

Lily picked up the box; it was wrapped in white tissue paper and the most intricate golden ribbon had been tied on one corner. Underneath it a card had been slid. It was a shiny, golden card, with chocolate brown writing.

_Honeydukes Comfort Chocolate Box_

She took out the card and opened it. On the right hand side it was printed in elegant writing: _To help those going through a rough time; a chocolate a day takes a worry away!_

And on the other side, written in ink was: _I'm sorry about Full House._

Lily was taken aback. She read it again several times, wondering who on earth besides Rinoa knew. And she knew it definitely wasn't Rinoa, because it wasn't her writing, and she wasn't the type to do something like this.

But Lily felt warm and uplifted; she couldn't help the smile that was spreading across her face as a radiance filled her. It felt so _nice_ to know that someone cared - even though she had no idea who it was.

"What is it?"

Lily looked up, surprised. She had momentarily forgotten James was in the room, looking at her expectantly.

"It's..." she paused, still trying to think who could have sent it, "Something very thoughtful." She smiled very nicely at him and started to walk towards the portrait, clutching the box underneath her arm.

Then she stopped and turned around, "Potter... if you know who sent this, do me a favour and thank them for me."

It was hard trying not to look too pleased with himself as James replied coolly, "Evans, who is the master of this tower?"

"Err... you."

"Right you are. And who is the house-elf?"

"Me," Lily answered flatly, knowing this could lead to nowhere good.

James grinned, "Right again. That means you do not ask favours of me, and _I_ order you to do things for _me_. So wash the dishes - "

"But - "

" - after you come back."

Lily stopped looking annoyed and her eyes widened. James was glowing on the inside; showing kindness towards her had its upsides - it was fun watching her unnerved and suspicious.

That, and he was genially glad she was smiling again.

Lily, still looking at James critically, started, "How did you know - ?"

He dully cut in, "Girls. You get a mystery present and you have to gallop off to tell your friends. Go, but come back in fifteen minutes and wash the dishes."

"Okay!" Lily said brightly, recovering from her short-lived shock and rushing out.

"If you're late you'll have a whole list of chores to do!" he added loudly.

With that, James relaxed with a sloppy grin, and basked in the satisfying and compassionate feeling that comes when you forget your own worries for a minute to help someone else with theirs.

---

The week was crazy and full of new disasters, for our favourite pair of star-crossed _enemies_.

James became a slave-driver. He made Lily do things from cleaning his bathroom to calling her out of her bedroom to pick up his fallen quill. Lily still rankled in the fury and indignity of this.

Lily was cleaning the kitchen windows with unnecessary vim, her head aching with everything she had to do. She scrubbed the window even harder, pretending it was James' face.

What she _really_ needed... was a day off.

_What a brilliant idea!_

Lily smiled in triumphant and threw down the cloth. She jumped down from the stool and ran into the living room, "Potter!"

James was doing his homework with a little frown on his face.

"What?"

Lily approached him cautiously, "D'you think it's possible that... that you could maybe... give me Sundays off?"

James _did_ give Lily enough time to do her homework and study, though it did mean she had to stay up a little later than usual. But between classes, cooking, cleaning, abusing Potter with Rinoa, and homework, she wasn't finding any time to work on her story. Lily loved to write and had been working on a short novel for two years now.

James immediately arched an eyebrow over his parchment, "What?"

"Well... it's just it's _Sunday_, and we're allowed to eat with the rest of the school in the Great Hall! And I could do the mopping up on a weekday instead, so then I could have the day off," Lily explained in a rush, knowing before she finished that it was hopeless.

"No way," was all he said, returning back to his homework.

Lily glowered at him and stomped off. A second later she ran back and with stupendous effort pushed his armchair forward. James swore as he lost balance and crashed onto the carpet.

"JEEERK!" Lily yelled savagely, then ran off and slammed her bedroom door.

"Dammit," James cursed painfully, rubbing his crushed toe.

Lily's displays of temper were what kept James in check - he knew he couldn't push her _too_ much, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to see how far she'd go first. However, a lot of the times she was optimistic enough to get along - and to tolerate James' endless verbal abuse.

"Evans, will you _hurry up_?" James shouted impatiently, glaring at the redhead who was poking a hairpin in the lock of their laundry room door.

"I'm trying, I'm trying," Lily said feebly, twisting herself into an uncomfortable position as their laundry room was on the small side.

"Oh MERLIN!" James burst out in his anger, looking up at the ceiling and wondering how he had ever fallen into this situation, "We are so late, you realise, don't you?"

"Well," Lily replied meekly, still trying to pick the lock, "I guess it's a good thing neither of us are claustrophobic."

"What's _that_ gotta do with anything?" James shot back.

"I dunno," Lily said in a flustered voice.

James snorted and kicked the wall in his temper, "Yeah, just like you dunno how you locked us both in here so even _Alohomora_ doesn't work."

"Just shut up, will you?" Lily ordered, tweaking the hairpin a little further. A click sounded, and she straightened up, not daring to believe she had finally unlocked it.

"Great, you finally did it?" James said, striding forward, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open, "Slughorn might feel the need to kill us..."

"Thanks a lot, Potter," Lily muttered, rolling her eyes as she pocketed her hairpin. She held the door and looked closely at the lock, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Hurry UP!" James shouted again, causing Lily to jump up and bang her head on the doorhandle.

"Ouch! All _right_, I'm coming," she yelled back, blinking back tears of pain, "Git..." she added under her breath as she made her way out to their living room. James looked at her sharply as she rushed out of the portrait hole where he was standing.

"You're not crying, are you?" he asked in a voice that wasn't unkind.

"No," Lily said, surprised. She looked up at him with her startling green eyes, "They're tears of pain. _Physical_ pain."

"Oh, okay," James said indifferently, leading the way to Professor Slughorn's office. He kept quiet, before saying, "Don't cry, okay?"

"I won't," Lily said cheerfully.

"Good. I can't stand girls who cry," he explained uneasily, then quickly added with his usual air of arrogance, "Especially when they're as ugly as you."

Lily gave him a sarcastic smile, "Thanks for that, Potter."

James responded infuriatingly, "You're welcome."

Shaking her head, Lily prodded on down the stone corridor. The both of them were attired in fancy robes and looked very formal.

"So how was your day?" the redhead asked.

"Rotten, because some stupid girl locked me in a tiny room," James answered at once, trying not to smile.

"I'm telling you," Lily said good-naturedly, "I have no clue how that happened! I suppose next time you'll just have to do your own laundry..."

"And risk getting myself locked in? Fat chance."

Lily grinned, "Well, it _would_ lighten my workload a little. I mean, actually making me cook _risotto_ for you! Are you mental, Potter?"

"I think _you _are, actually," James retorted, scrunching up his face, "Because that certainly wasn't risotto you made."

Rolling her eyes, Lily put a hand on the handle of Slughorn's door and said, "Well, be prepared to have fifty pheasants stuffed down your throat, because we're going in."

"Great," James muttered, all the same bracing himself.

The Head Boy and Head Girl had been invited to one of Slughorn's parties, which they had been attending since Lily was in second-year and since James set foot into Hogwarts. This party was an especially extravagant one, where Professor Slughorn had invited many other famous and successful people out of Hogwarts to show off and perhaps inspire his younger "jewels".

"James Potter! James m'boy!" Slughorn boomed richly, immediately reaching out and putting an arm around the disgruntled James, "So good of you to join us - as I knew you would - Deiter, this boy's been coming to my little get-togethers since he was a young lad! Gifted, he is, James this is Andrew Deiter..."

Lily smirked at the look on James' face.

"Potter, _Potter_!"

The redhead whirled around and saw two men who were dressed in heavy navy robes. One of them was nudging the other excitedly, while gazing at James in awe.

Lily frowned.

"Potter," he repeated excitably in an Italian accent.

The other man turned around at his companion's frequent nudging, looking bored. But as soon as he saw James his eyes grew wide and he, too, seemed very excited.

"Potter, Joshua Potter!" he exclaimed quietly, looking amazed. Both men beamed at each other, then took out some parchment and a camera.

"Lily!"

The redhead almost jumped as she whirled around.

"Oh, hello Sirius," she greeted happily.

"Come join me," Sirius requested, as Lily chanced a look behind her again and saw the men falling over one another to get closer to Slughorn and James. Sirius turned to look as well. He grinned, "Seems like James won't be ready any time soon."

"Oh... yeah, you're right," Lily grinned back.

"Want some food?"

"Sure!"

Lily decided to forget about the two odd men and wandered through the crowded room to the food table. There were a lot of people, and for once most of them were adults. There were also lots of cameras around, which confused her.

She and Sirius collected plates and piled food on it. Then they found some seats at the back and started eating and chatting happily. Lily and Sirius had been acquaitances for several years, as they sometimes had been partnered up for classes, and since they were both friendly people it was very easy to form conversation even if they weren't remotely close.

"...get some pheasants, James, they're excellent..."

Lily looked up again and saw Slughorn navigating a stiff-looking James to the food table. She was perplexed to see that a small crowd of adults had formed behind them, all looking very much like reporters.

Sirius winked at James, who rolled his eyes.

He was extremely bored.

All he had to do was hold a merely interested look while Slughorn jostled him about to meet all these famous ex-pupils of his - and it grew quite tedious.

"...so why are you here?" Sirius was asking Lily, who was still staring at the people seemingly following James and Slughorn. Among them were those Italian men.

"Oh, um. Well, you know, Professor thinks I'm a real dab at Potions," Lily replied hastily, "What about you?"

"Hmm, it's got something to do with my family..."

"Famous Blacks, eh?" Lily tuned in and grinned.

Sirius laughed musically, though he looked sullen, "Something like that. It's a stupid reason, though. Nothing like Charlie here!" and Sirius reached out and pulled a startled-looking tall boy to his side, "Now _his_ father is big in the Quidditch area."

"But it doesn't run in the family," Charlie laughed, wiping the front of his shirt which now had a couple of droplets of drink on it.

"Sorry about that, mate. Just felt like doing a Slughorn," Sirius apologised, passing him a napkin.

"A Slughorn?" Lily questioned.

"You know..." Sirius threw out his hands and imitated, " 'Now _this_ lad here...' and he seems to pull people out of thin air!"

Lily and Charlie looked at each other and laughed.

The party wore on, and Lily found herself enjoying it immensely. She, Sirius and Charlie continued to chat and eat at the back of the room, laughing at each other's jokes and whatnot. James, on the other hand, was being pulled all over the place by Slughorn. He must've met about a hundred celebrities by now.

By now, the music had grown louder but slower. Many had gotten up to dance, to the disgust of some and delight of others.

James felt like his neck was going to be permanently nodding and that his smile was going to be etched onto his face forever, the rate he was going. He was still smiling and nodding as some head honcho of some Ministry department talked to him and Slughorn, when he suddenly froze.

Lydia was gliding across the room, looking very pretty in a set of pink dress robes... and she went straight past him, leaving a strong whiff of her heavenly perfume lingering behind.

James unfroze.

Well.

Perhaps she didn't see him.

Slughorn _was_ rather vast in the waist-and-belly area.

James' eyes continued to follow the pretty figure.

"Sirius!" Lydia exclaimed softly, upon reaching the three of them, still grouped at the back, "I finally found you." Her eyes lingered on the rather hunky Charlie for a moment, then went straight back to Sirius.

"Hullo Lyds," Sirius said brightly, putting an arm around her, "Enjoying the party?"

"Now I am," Lydia smiled daintily.

"Come on, let's dance," Sirius grabbed her hand and pulled her to where all the other couples were waltzing around, leaving Lily and Charlie by themselves.

"So," Lily said conversationally, surveying the party scene.

"So," echoed Charlie. He glanced around the room, and a funny expression crossed his face, "Erm. Do you want to dance?"

Lily was taken aback for a second. Then she beamed, "Sure! But... I don't really know how."

Charlie shrugged sheepishly, "Neither do I." They both laughed and made their way to join the dancers.

James felt his heart sink lower and lower, nearing to the depths of despair, as he watched Sirius and Lydia dance. He was beginning to think that it was hopeless - perfectly hopeless. It kind of angered him.

The song ended - and Lydia stayed in Sirius' arms, treasuring the moment. But at that moment Sirius released her and looked around, where other couples were breaking apart and laughing quietly.

"Where are you going?" Lydia asked in her confusion.

"Oh, I'm going to ask Lily to dance. Why don't you dance with Charlie? You may have noticed him before; tall, Gryffindor guy. He's in my dorm. Really great guy, and a lot of the ladies fall for him - "

"You want to dance with Lily?" Lydia cut in sharply, her brown eyes glinting.

"Yeah, why not? She's a great girl and - "

" - she's cute?" Lydia finished off in cold fury.

Sirius stopped, now frowning, "Sure she's cute... Come on now, what's the matter with you?"

"Sirius," Lydia shook her head and put her hands to her hips, "How long do you insist on doing this? _Why_ are you doing this in front of me, all the time?" her voice was quivering and for the first time, she was losing control.

"Lydia," Sirius said quietly, taking her hand and pulling her to the corner, "What are you talking about?"

Lydia scoffed and pulled her hand out of his, "You! You're always flirting with other girls in front of me! Just random girls in the corridor, or that redhead over there, or my friends - "

"Don't compare Lily to those friend of yours," Sirius said in disgust, "She's ten times the girl they'll ever be."

"Yet you still fool around with them!" Lydia exclaimed furiously, "Do you know how pathetic that makes me feel? How long do you insist on making me wait?"

Sirius frowned and said in a low voice, "I'm afraid I don't understand..."

Lydia looked around, trying to keep calm. She turned back to Sirius and took a deep breath, "I _like_ you, Sirius."

Sirius looked at her, feeling his heart sink.

Meanwhile, James had finally escaped the wrath of Slughorn and had joined Lily at the back of the room.

"Hey, Evans. Let's go back," he mumbled moodily, sticking his hands in his pockets. He had never really enjoyed Slughorn's parties, but now he thought he'd have to be brainwashed to attend another one.

"Huh?" a confused Lily asked, "Go back? Go back where?"

"Go back to the Head tower, you twit," James snapped.

"But the party isn't over yet!"

James glared at her, "D'you think I care?"

"Hey... Lily," Charlie said sheepishly, "Um, do you mind?" A girl was standing in front of him, and Lily supposed she had asked him to dance.

"No, of course not. Have fun!" the redhead said brightly, then turned to James with a stormy expression, "I don't understand you, Potter. Aren't you going to eat and have some fun first?"

"No," James sighed, "I just want to _leave_."

"Then go back by yourself," Lily replied haughtily. Then she saw the group of people again, and her green eyes widened when one of them held up a camera and took a photo of James and her.

"Err... Potter," she said anxiously, tugging at his sleeve, "There's something you should know - "

On the other side of the room, Sirius was still speechless.

"I - I'm sorry, Lydia," he finally said weakly, looking at the ground, "I'm sorry that you got the wrong idea... but... I've only ever thought of you as a little sister."

_A little sister._

Lydia looked at him, feeling her heart break. She looked away, breathing deeply, trying to understand what was happening. Her brown eyes glistened with tears and she bit her lip, desperately trying to compose herself.

"But you know," Sirius mumbled, feeling absolutely horrible now, "You should try and work things with James," Lydia immediately looked at him with a slight frown, "He's liked you for a long time. You two go well with each other."

"So is that it then?" Lydia demanded in a frenzy, her breaths becoming shorter and sharper, "You can't like me because your best friend does?"

Sirius hesitated for a moment. He knew perfectly well that wasn't the reason, but he was trying to think of a way to comfort her.

But Lydia didn't give him any time. When he didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, she seemed to gather the worst and she stormed off to the other side of the common-room, where James was.

"Lydia - " Sirius started, alarmed. He chased after her.

"James!" Lydia yelled angrily, stopping short in front of them. Lily and James immediately turned to the Italian beauty, whose pretty features were twisted into angry ones. A startled Lily took a few steps back and watched curiously.

"James, tell me," Lydia demanded furiously, looking up at him in a towering rage, "Tell me _right now_ whether you like me or not."

James just stared at her, his mouth going dry. He couldn't understand why she was asking this - and also why she was so angry about it.

"I - er - " he stammered.

"Lydia, stop it," Sirius said firmly, appearing by her side.

"Shut up, Sirius!" Lydia snapped without looking at him, "James, tell me NOW! Do you like me or not? Love me, even? Have you really liked me for all these years and been too chicken to tell me?" Her voice was rising uncontrollably with every word.

James felt his temper bubble. His frustration had reached its peak and he felt a flame of anger overwhelm him. James took a deep breath, his body vibrating with waves of fury.

"Yes," he said evenly, glaring at her, "I like you. I like you a lot... Lily!"

Lily barely had time to overcome the fact that he had called her by her first name - because a second later James was pulling her close to him and their lips met in a tight kiss.

----------

A/N: WHAHAHAHA HE KISSED HER! Ahem. x) OI PEOPLE! _(throws cakes at you all)_ THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! x) I saw eighteen alerts the day after .. and I felt so INDECENTLY HAPPY I DANCED AROUND AND ACCIDENTALLY KICKED MY HAMSTER AND IT FLEW OUT TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. Ignoring the fact that I don't have a hamster. xP Thanks so much for the support, my pretties! I updated extra-ly fast because I was filled with such an adrenalin. xD I hope I spelt that right. NOW .. what have we here? James being NICE to Lily? And now James KISSING Lily? Ugh .. I'm going to give up being dramatic and continue smiling cheesily. Good evening, all! --MSQ.

**U** is a little letter that might reside at the beginning of your pen name. If it does, HAHAHA you're going to eat an apple in two hours! (I am not a seer. And no, you _aren't _special.)


	10. Merlin Help Us

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Ten ll Merlin Help Us**

----------

_Lily barely had time to overcome the fact that he had called her by her first name - because a second later James was pulling her close to him and their lips met in a tight kiss._

James pulled away with a morose look, and Lily stared at him in terror, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. Flashes from cameras were going off everywhere and many people were gasping.

Lydia and Sirius stood there; she gazing at them in a mixture of hurt, regret, anger and disbelief, Sirius gaping at them in a half-amused, half-shocked way.

"Mr Potter, Mr Potter - !" those funny reporter people were suddenly thrashing towards them, and in all her dazed shock Lily felt a twinge of fear.

James immediately grabbed her arm and steered her towards the exit. As she stumbled against his rough grip, she distinctly heard Slughorn calling out half-heartily, "Please, please, leave them alone."

A number of questions had sprung up in Lily's head, questions that desperately needed answers. But as she and James walked down the corridors, with him leading, she took his stiff silence and brooding expression as a sign to keep quiet.

Lily half-walked, half-stumbled back to the Head tower. She felt so light-headed and confused, as if it was a dream, but she knew it wasn't. Dreams were pleasant. This was more like a nightmare.

All hopes of getting some answers vanished as James strode across their living room, slamming his bedroom door after him. Lily, still not entirely aware of what was happening, sat on the sofa and stared into the fireplace.

James had... kissed her. He had actually _kissed_ her.

Tentatively, she lifted a hand and touched her lips. A soft expression crossed her face.

All of a sudden, a rush of emotions filled her. She felt overwhelmed, annoyed, upset, hurt, yet at the same time as if she was floating.

Before she could gather these feelings and put them in their rightful place, somebody knocked on the door. It took some time before Lily registered the knock. Almost mechanically, she went and opened the portrait door.

The visitor was a very young woman of about nineteen-years-old. She was not very attractive, with thick black eyebrows that made her look permanently angry, dark eyes and a square jaw. However, all these things gave her a distinct aura of command and control. It was intimidating.

"You're that girl!" she said sharply when she saw Lily.

"Um," everything was registering slow in Lily's brain, "Excuse me?" she finally asked in a dazed voice.

The new girl scrutinised Lily for a full five seconds before pushing the portrait fully open and letting herself in, "Never mind. Where is James?" her voice was brisk, business-like, "I must speak with him."

"James?" Lily repeated, and the kiss immediately came back to her.

_Get a grip of yourself, Lily Evans!_

"Oh, James," the redhead said firmly, with the look of one coming out of a reverie, "He's... well, he's not in a good mood at the moment."

The dark-haired girl surprised her by snorting, "So what else is new? James is a spoilt brat, but fortunately, _I_ know how to handle him. JAMES!" Her deep, sharp voice seemed to shake the room.

Lily took a few tentative steps back and said meekly, "Honestly, he was a bit upset, so maybe you should leave him alone tonight - "

"His emotional state at the moment is not important!" the girl barked, fixing her dark eyes on Lily critically, "He's blown his privacy and I'll be damned if he - who _are_ you? What's your name?"

She was suddenly suspicious and curious, which made Lily squeamish.

"I'm - I'm Lily Evans," the owner of the name stammered, wondering how much distress she could take in one night.

The stranger furrowed her thick eyebrows and said stoutly, "I've never heard of you. Are you related to anyone in the Ministry?"

"...No, I'm Muggle-born."

Lily tried not to stare, transfixed, at the grotesque eyebrows that were now raised.

"Muggle-born?" the girl repeated not disgustedly, but uncertainly, "Right. Well," she seemed to dismiss Lily and boomed, "JAMES POTTER, COME OUT RIGHT NOW IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!"

Lily jumped and thought indignantly, _'Now, really!'_ but she still couldn't find it in herself to go head-to-head with this rude, broad-shouldered girl. Fortunately, the _Head Boy_ door opened and there stood James, looking dishevelled and above all, tired.

"James!" the girl said at once, looking determined, "Do you have _any _idea - " she broke off suddenly and changed her tone to a low, serious one, "We need to talk."

"I know," James sighed, not at all surprised or taken-aback. Lily stared as he sat down on the couch and looked at the visitor dully, "So what happens now?"

"We need to talk in privacy," the girl said loudly, casting Lily a furtive look.

James also glanced over at Lily, who felt her heart thump ten times faster. He didn't seem abashed and met her eyes quite boldly, something which unnerved Lily and tingled her annoyance. How could he do that?

"Right," he said unconcernedly, looking around the room, "Evans, we need stocking up. Go down and make a shopping list, whatever, just don't be back before an hour."

Trying to hide her shock and frustration, Lily murmured, "Yes." By marching out of the common-room, she hoped to show James that she was _not_ happy with him.

_How_ could he do this? How could he act as if nothing had happened, and expect _her_ to pretend nothing had happened either? Just kick up her chirpy heels and stroll down the shopping aisle with a trolley and a stupid money bag full of fake coins!

Gah.

He was _impossible_.

He needed to be hung.

Immediately.

That conniving, evil git.

This rather, well, ugly thinking continued until Lily had kicked her heels down to the kitchens. In her intensity she might have harshly jabbed the pear so that it let out a squeaky cry of pain instead of giggling.

"Oh, look at me," the redhead mumbled to herself as she walked into the brightly-lit kitchens, "I'm abusing painted fruit in my stress. There's something seriously wrong with me."

"Miss Evans, Miss Evans!" the house-elves all tittered, rushing towards her.

"Oh - ah - hi," Lily said in a flustered voice, hitching on a dodgy grin, "Err..." Between all her hot-headed insults then flat realisation of what a woeful turn her life had taken, she had forgotten where she was and why she was there.

"What would you be seeking today, Miss Evans?"

"Oh..." Lily walked into the special area Dumbledore had set up for her and James (well, only her now) to shop for their food. There were shelves and cabinets, each of them crammed with items that were marked with a price.

Feeling obnoxious and reckless, Lily bought nothing but elf-made bread and bars of chocolate, grinning nastily while she paid. The savage pleasure faded away, however, when she remembered her evening... her week... her _year_. It definitely hadn't been one of the best.

Sighing again, Lily sat down in one of the chairs dejectedly. She felt an emptiness and sadness fill her as she buried her head in her arms.

So much had happened. She felt so alone and weak, like nobody cared about her anymore. James never helped with that feeling. Crysta was... Lily didn't even want to think of her. It felt like Rinoa was her only friend, but with the new independent living it was like a gap had been formed between them.

And then there was Full House...

Lily let out a whimper she didn't know she had been holding in.

"Miss Evans?"

A delicious smell filled her nostrils, and Lily looked up through her tangle of red hair. There beside her was a mug of hot chocolate, and surrounding it many anxious house-elves.

"Oh, thank you," Lily said gratefully, smiling at them so that they beamed back. She absently sipped the warm and comforting drink, her green eyes going glassy as she thought about the 'bend in the road' that had occurred in her life. Why couldn't it have lay straight?

She thought about Slughorn's party, and smiled a little. There had been a few highlights... talking to Sirius had been a lot of fun, and then she had met Charlie. Charlie was brilliant. Lily smiled again and thought about their dance. It was quite apparent that neither of them knew how to dance very well, something that definitely needed polishing up if they were to attend the ball at the end of the year.

Lily felt sick just thinking about the ball. She was only glad that it was far, far away...

This was all James' fault.

He had broken down her morale. All the bad things that had happened were all connected to him one way or another. It was all his fault. He had shouted her silly, insulted her, made her so angry and upset on so many occasions she felt like she had passed through Azkaban.

_No..._ Lily thought grudgingly, closing over her eyes, _I can't just blame him... This is what is supposed to happen. I've got to accept it._

And as she realised this, an unbearable sadness overcame her and her eyes smarted. Lily Evans buried her head further into her arms and let the hot, unwanted tears pour down her cheeks.

---

James opened his eyes and found himself enclosed in total darkness, except for the small, pale light that was streaming through a crack in his thick curtains. He kicked at it, hoping to close it properly, but only ended up yanking it even further so that more white light flooded in.

He gave up and lay in bed, wondering what time it was. After that, he remembered what Regina had said - _lectured _about - the night before, and soon, everything that had happened came flooding back like a wave. James moaned and rolled onto his stomach, burying his face in his pillow. Everything was giving him a headache at the moment, and he knew he had hell to pay once he got out of bed.

Why did he have such a complex life?

His thoughts went to Lydia, who just made him feel bitter. Why was she so angry, as if she _didn't_ want him to like her? The possibility made James chest burn as he realised it was _her_ fault. If she hadn't snapped at him and demanded so shrilly, maybe _he_ wouldn't have gotten so furious in turn and did something so rash and _stupid_.

And as James remembered who he wasted his first kiss on, he calmed down a little.

He _did_ feel kind of sorry for Lily. She was caught in the middle of this mess and had no idea what was happening. Just remembering her horrified look amused James, and then her apparent nervousness when they had walked back. James hadn't meant to make her feel so bad; he'd been too hotheaded with his own worries to try and explain things to her.

James knew he had a long day ahead - a long month, most likely. Trying not to think about it at the moment, he got up to have breakfast. To his utter disappointment, he found the kitchen deserted.

He sighed irritably. Sure, they'd had a big night, but that didn't mean Lily could ignore her chores.

"Evans," he said impatiently, knocking on her door, "Get up. You're late."

There was no answer.

James groaned and began to pound on her door, "Evans, wake up and make me my bloody breakfast! You're in big trouble, you know."

There was still no reply.

Fed up and stomach grumbling, James grabbed the handle and opened the door. He was about to yell when he realised her bed was empty. What was more, it hadn't been slept in. With one last distasteful glance around the messy room, James closed the door and wondered where she could be.

Not for a moment did James trouble himself with the thought that he was worried about Lily - because, in his mind, he merely only wanted his breakfast. But after he had put on his robes and wandered through the still and quiet castle, James became increasingly frustrated and panicked.

He went through his brain, trying to remember if he had done anything to make her extremely upset that would drive her to sleep out-of-doors. (Well, out of the Head tower, anyway.)

James couldn't come up with anything pheasible, except maybe the kiss. He knew he owed her an explanation, but _he_ wasn't going to say anything so long as he could help it.

Finally, he made his way down to the kitchens. Perhaps Lily hadn't returned last night. The house-elves were _very_ persuasive.

As usual, the little, eager creatures were delighted to see him, and tripped over each others' scrawny little limbs to get to him. Before he could rattle them off, however, he saw (his heart surged with relief) a head of red hair on the table.

Putting on a cool and composed look, James walked towards her, calling loudly at the same time.

"Oi, Evans."

Lily stirred, but didn't lift her head.

"Hey," James said louder, moving a bit closer.

"What?" Lily mumbled incoherently, her head still buried in her arms.

James smiled a little but kept an indifferent voice, "What do you think you're doing, sleeping down here? Get up."

She made no movement.

"Oi!" James grabbed her arm, but she immediately jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" Lily said in a thick voice. She sighed as she stretched and smoothed down her hair, all the while shooting angry, reproachful looks at James. The night had allowed Lily to reflect on how cruelly he had treated her.

The black-haired boy shook his head in wonder, and realised his frustration had evaporated quite suddenly.

"Not in the mood, huh?" he said mockingly, "I see you did the shopping... Why'd you buy so much bread for? You're the only one who'll be eating it."

"Keep acting like an ungrateful pig, Potter, and you'll be having it for all your meals," Lily snapped, quite fed up.

James eyed her as if she was a time-bomb, "I see you're not well," he said half-sarcastically, though he kept his distance in case she suddenly lashed out.

"Not well?" Lily repeated sadistically, then burst out, "Of _course_ I'm not well! Do you realise - " she stopped, with a stormy frown fixed in place. She made an impatient and disbelieving noise, then turned back to him, "Potter, don't you have something to say to me?"

Taken-back, James said rancorously, "No. Should I have something to say to you?"

She looked as though she absolutely did not believe him, "You _must_ have something to say to me after that - that incident!" she insisted with a hint of desperation.

He looked at her sceptically, "Well. I don't. Happy?" There was no way he was going to explain his reckless actions to her, though, admittedly, she was the victim in all this.

Lily scoffed angrily. She gave James one last look of disgust before standing up, hauling the shopping bag after her.

"Where're you going?" James called after her, infuriatingly cocky, "I'm hungry."

Her rude reply made it clear James wasn't going to be served today.

She was gone within seconds, leaving James to vaguely impress on the idea that she was _such_ a child. Then a gloom settled over him, the same gloom that had haunted him since Slughorn's party, and had vanished momentarily when he came down to the kitchens.

He sighed and leant back in his chair, his hazel eyes going glassy as he revelled in all the decisions he had to make.

---

_Dear Diary,_

_So much has happened. I'm currently in the library right now, because I don't have classes until afternoon. The library is my sanctuary; I can get away from everything._

_Most of all James Potter._

_I really can't believe he can be so unbelievable sometimes. Does that even make sense? But honestly, the things he does... I suppose it all points into the direction that he really is a selfish, conceited person. It's a pity; I was starting to think that maybe he had a good side to him._

_Argh, I need to stop this. I can't afford to get so worked up all the time, not because of him. I feel bad because I let him get to me - but I should just ignore the prat already. Siiigh._

_...That girl sitting over at the 'F' shelf keeps staring at me. She thinks I haven't noticed but, Merlin, she hasn't blinked in three minutes! There, I just gave her a look and she seemed to come out of her little reverie. Oh, great. She just gave me a filthy look and thinks I didn't see that either._

_Some Hogwarts girls are really quite exasperating._

_I should get started on some of my homework before lunch. They're not due for a month but it's always better to get it out of the way, especially since I have less time to do these things now with my household duties... increased household duties. Why oh why is Crysta such an airhead? She used to be so sensible, as well! Oh, well. The cat's among the pixies now._

_I just told two little third-year girls off for prowling around the shelves and giggling like little munchkins. This is a library, for Merlin's sake! Besides, they kept pointing and giggling at me so it was making me nervous. What is it with them today?_

_Just checked my reflection and there's nothing visibly wrong with me. All the same, they're acting as though it's Valentine's Day... or even worse, the time I threw up on Potter._

_Heh. Fond memories._

_...Not really._

_Oh, they seem to be interrogating a magazine. Those things always make them act giddy. I wonder who got married this week._

_I haven't seen Rinoa all day, and I don't have any afternoon classes with her. Maybe I'll go visit her in the common-room later. Oh well, time to hit the books! Perhaps I'll find some time to work on my story._

_Lily._

---

As Lily sat in her last class, Ancient Runes, she found it increasingly hard to concentrate. The professor's voice sounded drony and so distant, it was starting to put her to sleep.

At the same time, she was very uncomfortable. It felt like people were _staring_ at her all the time. It was a most unwelcome feeling.

Finally the bell rang and the redhead quickly escaped from the classroom, where girls instantly put their heads together and talked a mile a minute. She blended in with the normal crowds of students and walked with them up to the common-room.

"Re - refullsin?" Lily said questioningly, unsure of the password. Fortunately the portrait swung open and she clambered into the scarlet-clad common-room, full of people already. She stiffened up as some of the younger students gasped when they caught sight of her, and ran to each other to form groups. They stared at her, wide-eyed. A couple of fourth-year girls looked at her, then jerked up a _Witch Weekly_, then looked at her again, apparently in shock.

Suddenly self-conscious and nervous, Lily swallowed heavily and tried to ignore the obvious attention she was receiving. Her head down, she quickly walked to the staircase when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Lily! Hi."

"Oh, hullo Charlie," Lily greeted, turning around with a smile, "How are you, then?"

Charlie smiled, "Can't complain. What about you?"

"Hmmm... I'm alright," Lily said resignedly, as a recount of her true, bizarre feelings would take far too long.

"I'm glad to hear that," Charlie said warmly. There was a moment's pause, before he said hesitantly, "So, you and James, then?"

"Huh?" Lily asked confusedly, very much wrong-footed.

"Well - after what happened last night - " Charlie started, but at that moment Rinoa pounced on her.

"LILY!"

Lily jumped a mile and whirled around, "Oh, Rinoa! Finally, woman, I haven't seen you for ages!"

"LILY!" Rinoa yelled again, but she didn't sound happy and excited like usual; she sounded urgent and alarmed, "Oh, honestly, what happened? Excuse me - " she pulled the redhead away from Charlie, " - galloping gargoyles, Lil, how are you coping?"

Rinoa sounded so concerned and serious that Lily began to feel edgy; had she missed something?

"What are you - ?"

Not letting Lily finish her question, Rinoa grabbed her arm and pulled her up the spiral staircase. Lily let herself be dragged along, her head buzzing.

"Um, Rin?" Lily said politely as she was tugged along to her old dorm, "Could you, perhaps, tell me what the gargoyle is going on?"

Rinoa turned and faced her, putting her hands on her hips, "What the _gargoyle_?"

Lily flushed, "It doesn't sound that bad!"

Shrugging, Rinoa asked her firmly, "You haven't come across a _Witch Weekly_ very recently, have you?"

"No," Lily replied with an air of defiance, "You know I don't usually read those things."

"Well, this isn't a usual situation."

"You can tell me that again! What happened in that magazine, anyway? Seems like everyone's hyped up about it."

"It's because of - !" Rinoa's eyes were huge, "Oh, don't kid me around Lil, have you _really_ not seen it?"

"No, I haven't!" Lily said firmly, wondering if they were ever going to get to the bottom of this.

"Oh, dear..." Rinoa didn't explain as Lily had fully expected her to, but just pulled her into the dormitory. There on the floor was a copy of the brightly-covered _Witch Weekly_.

"Is that yours?" Lily asked in amusement as her best friend picked it up and flicked through it, "My, my, Rinoa, didn't I once hear you condemn that to be an ill-ridden, good-for-nothing piece of rubbish that was read by those who have no life?"

"I still think that," Rinoa said grimly, as she passed the magazine gingerly to her, "Look at that, Lily."

The redhead took the magazine, not exactly sure what she was expecting, but definitely not ready for what she saw on the glossy page.

The first thing that caught her eye was a huge headline in bubbly writing that flashed different colours. It read, "_Italy's Biggest Mystery- Right Here In Britain!_" Underneath the in-your-face headline was a massive blow-up photograph of her and James, apparently absorbed in a kiss.

_Oh. My._

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Lily didn't see anything else but that horrendous picture. Her head had gone oddly disorientated and all she knew was that something had gone horribly awry, and that she could only scream to express her utmost horror.

"Lil - " Rinoa exclaimed, looking positively alarmed.

But Lily didn't pay any heed to her and shot up like a bullet. Ignoring her friend's anguished calls, the terrified girl ran down to the common-room, still shrieking, and whipped past her fellow stunned students into the corridor.

How she managed to find her way back up to the Head tower, Lily did not know. Her mind seemed to have gone blank. All she knew as she held the offending magazine and let out an ear-splitting scream, was that this was all Potter's fault - he _knew_ the answer to these seemingly unanswerable questions, and she was going to go and shout him silly.

"Potter! _Potter_! POTTER!"

"Far out, I'm here! What's the bloody matter, you came up here like a dozen elephants!" James shouted back, his heart racing.

"Potter, what - what - _why_ is there a picture of us in here?" Lily spluttered, looking near to having a stroke as she violently brandished the magazine in front of him. In all her shock of actually asking it out loud, Lily had forgotten to be angry with him.

"A picture of us?"

With a foreboding frown, James took the magazine between his fingers and looked at it. He sighed as he glanced it up and down, "Witch Weekly. And I thought it would turn up in the Daily Prophet."

This was such an inappropriate response that all ill-ridden feelings rushed back and Lily screeched, "Tell me what is going on, Potter! I'm sick of being kept in the dark, I want some damn answers and I want them now!"

To her indignation, James merely tossed the magazine back after skimming over it, "Read the article," he said tonelessly, "You'll find some of your answers."

Lily opened her mouth to howl at him, but her throat was beginning to feel sore. Exasperated, she collapsed onto the couch and opened the magazine. She moaned loudly at the grotesque (to her) photo that seemed to occupy over a quarter of the page. It made her sick just looking at it.

Anticipating the worst, she began to read with a great sense of foreboding.

Italy's Biggest Mystery - Right Here In Britain!

_James Potter. Does the name ring any bells? Well, watch out, because from now on, you'll be squealing every time you hear it! James Potter, widely believed to be named **Joshua** until recently, is the hottest topic in Italy - and he resides right here in Great Britain!_

_Up until now, James Potter has been a big, untouchable mystery - not only in England, but also in the Italian Republic. The only child of Italy's Minister for Magic, Alexander Potter, this handsome wizard has never had a face-on picture or even proper name published. His prominent parents are very protective of their son, refusing to confirm or deny any rumours, or share any personal information._

_However, _Witch Weekly _are proud to reveal his whereabouts, which have remained unknown for years. This evasive wizard actually attends **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**, where he has been schooled since he was eleven-years-old! It's no wonder experts couldn't locate him, not even after thoroughly searching the most prestigious wizarding schools in Italy. _

_We are thrilled to present you the first exclusive photographs of the handsome Potter, at a small party that was held just last night. Italian girls are right to be crazy about him - he's absolutely gorgeous!_

_It has been rumoured for quite some time that the dashing Mr Potter has been in an arranged marriage since childhood, which makes the wild stories printed in Italian magazines all the more outrageous. (Page 4.) As you can see, there is a redheaded girl James undoubtedly fancies - could this be his long-lost fiancee or just another female on the line? Or is this arranged marriage rumour even true?_

Lily just stared at it, flabbergasted. _Famous? Italy? LONG-LOST FIANCEE?_

The article went on for _pages_, surrounded by photos of James at Slughorn's party. A great deal of them had Lily in it, as well. She gaped at the magazine for a full thirty seconds before lowering it.

James was looking at her intently.

"I - I don't believe this," Lily said hoarsely, after finding her voice, "No - this is impossible. You - you - you're _famous_?"

He simply nodded, looking sullen at the fact.

"But - " Lily continued to stare at the article, "..._What_? How is that even possible? How could you be _that_ big of a deal in Italy and no one recognise you at school?" It was so stupid, so unbelievably stupid. This article had to be a a major joke.

Lily checked to make sure it wasn't the _Quibbler_.

"I don't think I really need to explain myself to you, Evans, but..." James sighed as if he were doing her a great favour, "I'm only well-known in Italy, and for the most absurd reasons as well. They never knew my real name. Everyone thought the son of the Minister was called Joshua, and they only ever had one candid photo to go by and you can't even see my face."

He took the magazine off her, flipped to the next page and pointed to a photo of himself. He looked a bit younger, but his face was hidden by the shadow of his cap. It was labelled, "_The only confirmed photo of James Potter until now!_"

Lily stared at it, transfixed in bewilderment for several seconds. She looked up again with a frown as she tried to grasp the situation, "...What... what absurd reasons?"

Sighing deeply, James got up and went into his bedroom. A moment later he came back out, holding a shoebox. He dropped it in front of her on the coffee table.

"What's this?" Lily asked uncertainly.

"Italian magazines, and one _Witch Weekly_. They've got a few articles on me. Read them."

"You actually keep these?" Lily asked a bit maliciously, despite all her shock, as she picked one up.

James shot her a Look and said sarcastically, "Yes, I do love to read them before I go to bed. Now just look at it, will you?"

"Fine, fine..." Lily said in a low voice, opening it, "What the - It's in a different language!"

"You're a smart witch, go figure."

Rolling her eyes, Lily muttered a spell and read the translated article in front of her.

_  
It seems 'Heartbreaker' Joshua Potter has caused more havoc again, playing with the hearts of several now-distraught girls. One of them, Michelle, says that he charmed her by saying "she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen" and took her out to dinner. They spent a wonderful and "action-packed" night together, but in the morning he pulled his Heartbreaker stunt and had already gone by the time she woke up. He also stole a pair of ruby earrings her grandmother sent her._

Lily had to grin, "You really did that, Potter?" James merely snorted in reply while she looked at the other magazines; she knew it was about James when there was that shadowed picture of him.

"Killed her cat... broke up a marriage... stole her virginity..." Lily had a disgusted expression on her face as she glanced over the little rumours, "Made her pay for an expensive dinner, set her house on fire, impregnated about fifty women! This is ridiculous, who'd make up such a thing and _why_ would you publish it?"

"The girls do it all the time, they find it a great privilege if theirs get chosen," James said indifferently, "If the magazine's got nothing else better to write about they attack me."

"Yes, but why _you_ out of everyone?"

"I expect it's got something to do with the fact that my father's Minister," James said darkly, "And the people who oppose him," he added quickly at Lily's enquiring look, "Everyone who's in power has got people who want to overthrow them. These rumours make me look bad; therefore, they make my dad look bad.

"And," he added thoughtfully, "It wouldn't hurt that my parents are so determined to keep me away from the press that they just let the rumours fly. There's no one to stop them, so they keep doing it."

"So this is what it's all about," the redhead said slowly, resigning to the fact that this was not a big hoax, "Discrediting your father?"

James shrugged, "I s'pose."

Lily made a face, "That's awfully harsh. I mean, actually writing these disgusting things about someone you don't even know?" She opened the rather outdated _Witch Weekly_ and found a small box about James.

_It seems like Italy have found their own Romeo to be crazy about. For a year or two now, rumour has it Joshua Potter has been breaking the hearts of girls all over the country. This hardly seems like appropriate behaviour for the only son of Italy's Minister for Magic, Alexander Potter, but we all know how we like our boys to be fun and rowdy. Isn't that right, girls?_

James gave her a wry smile, "The girls are crazy about me."

"I wouldn't expect them to be," Lily said in surprise, dropping the _Witch Weekly_, "If they believe all the things they write about you."

James shrugged off-handedly, "They like that kind of boy, I guess. They call me the 'Heartbreaker'."

Lily let out a loud laugh, "That's so stupid. Why don't your parents just deny all the rumours or something?"

"Well... they never wanted me to grow up hounded by reporters and photographers all the time. But trying to keep me a secret only made them more determined to find me. I hardly ever left the house. Then when my letter came for Hogwarts, my parents finally relaxed. And for several years, everything was fine. No one ever knew who I really was, except for my friends and Dumbledore. Oh, and Slughorn, but he promised to keep his mouth shut," James explained in a dry voice.

It was starting to make sense. A little. Lily studied James for a couple of seconds and softened. He seemed so morose and disappointed. Lily began to feel rather sorry for him. The reporters had finally found him, when he had thought he was safe from them at last. A childhood like that mustn't have been easy.

"Umm..." Lily quickly tried to think of something else, "So. This arranged marriage thing. True, or not?"

"That's just another rumour," James returned, but a small smile lit his face, "Started by my sister, however, instead of some rabid girl..."

"Your sister?" Lily repeated puzzledly, "But it says you're an only child - "

"She's a Squib, hardly worth noticing," James said brusquely, looking sour, "At least that's what _they _think. My parents had no trouble keeping her a secret."

"Oh," Lily replied, not knowing what to say to that, "Well, why'd she start that kind of rumour?"

"The same reason my parents let loose I was named Joshua. To protect me," James sighed, as if protection was really quite a troublesome thing, "She thought if people thought I was in an arranged marriage it'd quench the rumours. But it only made them more frequent, and made me look even worse."

"I don't understand why you just don't come out and deny them all!" Lily exclaimed agitatedly, "Surely that'd be much easier."

"Well, it's been going on for a few years, and it _was_ starting to die down a little. My parents thought that if they just kept me hidden for a bit longer, it'd blow over soon. Unfortunately, something happened."

"Last night happened," Lily filled in helpfully.

"Yes, last night happened," James snapped, feeling frustrated all over again, "Bloody reporters..." he opened his eyes and looked at her accusingly, "You know, if you'd just agreed with me and left when I told you to, this never would have happened."

Lily was taken-aback, "So now you're blaming me?"

James snorted, "You definitely didn't help."

Lily was shocked and appalled. Speechless for some few seconds in which James looked at the floor broodingly, she recovered the power of speech and shrieked, "What about you, huh?"

"Why are you yelling?" James retorted angrily, having jumped when she spoke.

Disregarding this, Lily shouted furiously, "You just grabbed me and kissed me in front of fifty people, some whom had cameras! This is _your_ problem, you didn't have to pull me in with you, even if you had to make your precious Lydia jealous!"

James stared at her, aghast.

The fiery redhead took a deep breath and looked him in the eye, "I know I'm under a contract, but you can't do whatever you want with me. Fine, I'll cook and clean, but as for your personal issues leave me _out_!" There. She had finally said what had been on her mind since that bloody kiss.

As she calmed down a little, James just continued to stare at her perplexedly. He didn't look angry. He seemed to be contemplating something.

"What?" Lily asked defiantly, feeling unnerved at this inappropriate reaction, "What are you looking at?"

James didn't say anything for awhile. When he spoke, his voice was low and serious.

"Let's get engaged."

Nothing could have ever prepared Lily to hear those words in such a circumstance.

"Wh - what?" she asked in a sort of terrified gasp, "Are - are - are you _mad_? Has my cooking gotten to your head or something?" Her voice was faltering with utmost disbelief. She really did think he had lost it, "People get engaged when they want to get married, and people get married when they like each other," she sounded hysterical and was speaking very fast now, "Maybe you've been getting the wrong sign from me, but I don't like you. I can't _stand _you!"

"I can't stand you, either," James assured her in a stating-the-obvious voice, with a disgusted look on his face.

A bit relieved but still on the verge of hyperventilating, Lily shuffled back and demanded in a confused voice, "Then why the _hell_ do you want to get engaged?"

"It'd stop all the rumours for one."

"Okay, stop being blunt, I _hate_ it when people are blunt!"

Rolling his eyes, James said loudly, "Everyone believes I have a fiancee, and thanks to this sodding magazine, they'll think it's you. Either that, or they'll think you're my newest whore."

"Your newest _what_, excuse me?" Lily exclaimed, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"No offence intended," James said boredly, "But that's what everyone thinks I am, right? A little heartbreaker. They'll think I'm out to kill your cat - or make you pay for dinner - or rob you of your virginity - "

"Alright, stop!" Lily said loudly, squeezing her eyes shut, "Merlin, Potter, _okay_, I get the picture."

Snickering at her discomfort, James told her soberly, "You can either be that or my fiancee. Either way."

"Or," Lily said furiously, "You could just _tell_ them you're not in an arranged marriage, and pretend I'm just a girlfriend, and our relationship ended a minute after that _bloody_ picture was taken!"

"Yeah," James said slowly, "But why would I do that? It wouldn't stop the rumours."

"Er. I don't care."

"Evans - "

"Potter, I am _not_ pretending to the whole of Europe we're about to get married just so you can have a peace of mind! Have you even stopped for a second and realise how _mental_ you sound?"

There. It sounded so painfully _obvious_ when she said it like that.

James hesitated, then said crisply, "It's not that mental when you think about it."

Tutting impatiently, Lily exploded, "What is there to think about? Potter - okay, say we _do_ do this. Everyone's seen us fight - who would believe us? And your parents! What would _they_ think?"

"They'll believe anything as long as it's in print," James said loftily, "And my parents would be happy that I found a partner."

Lily's jaw had dropped open.

"Would they not find it exceedingly unbelievable that you decided to get _married_ when you're only seventeen?"

"Not married; engaged, dear."

"OH, SHUT UP POTTER!"

Smirking, James replied contritely, "It's all very simple, Evans. We stand close together - but not _too_ close - act like a couple in company, smile for the cameras and answer the questions graciously. Article gets published, girls in Italy _and_ even Britain now get disappointed, stop making up stupid stories, leave me and my family alone, and it'll be a real doss."

It was so absurd and ridiculous that Lily was sure that he was pulling her leg.

"Huh," was all she said, staring at him in the eye, "Very simple, is it, Potter?"

"Yes, it is," James said jubilantly, "Wow, it's such a brilliant idea. I wonder why I never thought of it before."

"Maybe because you had a couple more brain cells back then?" Lily retorted rudely, subconsciously hoping he'd get so angry that he'd give up on this silly idea of his.

Unfortunately, James didn't seem fathomed by this.

"Well, what is it, Evans?" he asked of her.

"Why should I do this?" Lily demanded rashly, "Why should I sink to the depths of pretending to be your future wife - " at this, James scowled, " - just to help _you_ out, when you've never done anything for me?"

_Oh. Bother._

That girl had to think of everything, didn't she?

"Well..." he said slowly, his mind racing.

"What's in it for me?" Lily asked pointedly.

James strained his brain, thinking hard. Then all of a sudden... it was like a muse had dropped a tonne of inspiration on him.

Lily wasn't sure she liked the triumphant look that had suddenly appeared on his face.

"How about this, Evans," he said lightly, "At the end of this school year, when we break off our engagement - "

"Break off our engagement?" Lily interrupted confusedly, as if she didn't know what these words meant.

James raised his eyebrows, "Of course. You didn't _really_ want to get married, did you?"

"Well... of course not," Lily said rather sharply, after recovering from her initial surprise, "But then what would be the point of this? The rumours would just start again, only this time they'd be even worse."

She couldn't believe she was saying such things, as if she _understood_ the ordeal James was in.

James shrugged, "Let them do all they want. I'd have left school by then and be far, far away. But anyway, when we break off our engagement, I'll return something back to you."

"Whatever you stole from me, Potter, it won't be enough," Lily said scathingly, then added as an afterthought, "Though I _would_ like it back."

"Even if it was your house?" James said softly, watching her carefully.

A peculiar expression crossed Lily's face, then she frowned and replied haughtily, "You think I'd care about getting this place enough to show the whole world I'm engaged to _you_?"

"No, no, not this Head tower," James said impatiently, but smiled in satisfaction as he remembered how he had made her his house-elf for only twenty Galleons, "Your _real_ house. Full House."

Lily's undivided attention turned to James at once, her eyes wide and alert.

"What do you know about Full House?" she asked very carefully, her heart pounding and her mind oddly blank. How did James know...?

"Easy," he said bracingly, "My parents bought it for me, for when I leave Hogwarts and start my own life."

"I - I don't believe you," Lily said at once, but her mouth had gone very dry.

He raised his eyebrows, "You don't believe anything I say... Okay, just wait here." He got up again and went into his bedroom, returning with a fat letter which he passed to her.

"This is it, isn't it?"

Lily's heart sunk to the soles of her feet as she looked at the photographs of her beloved home. There was no mistaking the familiar whitewashed walls and marble living room, or her favourite little staircase that spiralled up in a dozen circles.

"Oh dear Merlin."

"Yep."

"This is not happening."

"Yep."

"You... you own my house."

"Yep."

"SOMEONE UP THERE HATES ME!"

"Wouldn't rule out that possibility," James said deftly enough, watching the distraught Lily.

"ARGH!" she threw James' letter down onto the floor and put a hand to her head, her eyes closed.

How could this happen?

Why was James' bargain suddenly so much more appealing?

Lily could feel herself weakening... even telling her conscience that posing as his fiancee really wasn't _that_ bad... in exchange for her wonderful home...

_Stop it. Stopitstopitstopitstopit!_

But really... it was only until they left Hogwarts... only a few interviews and photos... her mum would never know... and how happy would her mother be, if they got the house back?

Lily felt herself fill with warmth at the thought of her mother.

_No! Stop this! You can't go on with it - pretending to be the fiancee of the boy who's treated you so badly? It's ridiculous!_

James seemed to realise Lily was in a bit of conflict with herself at the moment, as she frowned hard and bit her lip. Clearing his throat, he said briskly, "So, anyway. I know you've had a rough day. How about you sleep on it? If you're not brainless you'll see what's in it for you."

With that, he swept into his bedroom disdainfully, closing the wooden door after him.

It was past midnight as Lily lay in her bed, her mind and body exhausted but at the same time so frantic and stressed it kept her awake. She thought about what James had said.

Good grief, the number of things he had announced that night that made her condemn him nuts...

But she was beginning to see that that wasn't the case. It was just she hadn't understood... and even as he explained it, all she could take in was the absurdity of what he had said. But now, the situation had sunk in and it was starting to make sense. It was starting to even seem _possible_.

And at this, the thought of returning to Full House filled her like sunshine. Living in peace and harmony with her mother, in the place they loved best. It was like being given a second chance... Lily's stomach jolted at the dangerous decision she had before her.

Suddenly, she brought her hand up and smacked her forehead several times.

"No, this is stupid. Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid," she muttered agitatedly, obviously still conflicted. Apparently under the impression that these physical smacks would finalize her decision, Lily relaxed and began to breathe deeply.

Unfortunately, she had underestimated the power of rambling in your head.

_There is no way I'm going through with this. What will everyone think? What will Rinoa think? For goodness' sake, why should I even do this? It's just a house. I can easily build another one myself._

_...There's no way I'm doing this._

_Pose as Potter's bride-to-be... for almost a whole year?_

_No way._

_I can't do this..._

_...No._

_Just no._

_Somebody help me._

_I must be mental..._

----------

A/N: Hello gracious ones. x) I tried to reply to everyone's reviews, but sometimes I can't quite figure out what to say to a, "I love your story! Update soon!" xP Hehe, so I replied to all who had questions and some others. But all in all, thanks for the reviews. _All_ of them. If you thought kicking an imaginary hamster last time was bad .. I won't explain what I did this time. x) Honestly, I was overwhelmed to see so many! I've got many things to say, so bear with me!

**Important:** For those who enjoy wandering through L/J stories, you may have come across an excellent one called Elusive by Almicene Melwen. x) You would have noticed that there are striking similarities between that story and James' 'secret' life which was written in this chapter. To be perfectly honest, I didn't really get the idea from Elusive although I had read it beforehand, but it's still important to clear that up. xP Anyway, the author of Elusive is aware of this, and I am aware of this, and now you are aware of this, and hopefully we're all still smiling and nodding happily. x)

And now! After we have all finished thanking Almicene for allowing me to write this x), I would like to introduce a LiveJournal in which I'll be writing all my fanfictionly things! So now, you don't have to worry if I've become roadkill or something because the updates (in the journal) will show what I'm doing and how I'm progressing with the next chapter, and so on. Be sure to check it regularly and comment if you feel like it! xD The link is _munchkinmuffin (dot) livejournal (dot) com _. xD

Or it's the homepage link on my profile, if that's easier.

I think that's it, hehe! I sure hope that chapter answered your questions. If you want to know when I'll next update (keeping in mind I'll be starting school soon and going overseas for a month), then check out the journal, the source of all mystery! Err .. BYE! - MSQ.

The letter is **M** again! xP Has anyone figured out my pattern, yet? If your pet's name starts with **M**, then you're special! If you don't have a pet, tough luck. xP


	11. Signor And Signorita

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some (**most**) of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**AND!** I need to add this **very important note:** I know you guys are gobsmacked at all these plot twists, but I must **disclaim** them (_everything, almost: fake engagement, the interview in this chapter, the actual Full House, James buying what she owned, the kiss, etc_;) for they are **not my ideas**. They belong to "Full House", the wonderful K-drama I adore watching! I just felt like I really needed to clear that up, because I feel so guilty when you review and say such nice things when I don't really deserve it.

Anyway! Happy Chinese New Year! x) And also, this story is **slightly AU**. (Which I'm sure many of you have figured out already.)

**Full House**

**Chapter Eleven ll Signor And Signorita**

----------

Lily slapped a scroll of parchment onto the kitchen table. She crossed her arms and looked pointedly at James.

"What's this?" he asked suspiciously, casting the parchment a fervent look.

"A contract," Lily said simply, sitting placidly in her chair.

"A contract?" James repeated with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, a contract. Since this is a fake engagement, we should have a contract, in case one of us... does not fulfill our roles properly." Her voice was light, but cool and guarded.

Smirking a bit, James replied loftily, "Sure. Whatever you want."

Not at all amused, Lily spared him one look of disdain before reading the terms out loud, "The terms of the contract are as follows; 'One: we respect each other's privacy.' "

He grimaced.

" 'Two: we do not demand physical intimacy with one another.' "

James did a double take and made a choking noise. Lily glared at him briefly before proceeding.

" 'Three: the engagement is to be broken off when both parties graduate from Hogwarts.' "

He made no protest.

" 'Four: by the end of June, ownership of Full House must have transferred to Lily Evans.' "

Lily put the contract down, folded her arms in a final gesture and looked at him in the eye, "Anything else?"

"Yeah," James said starchly, " 'Five: all elements of the previous contract still apply.' "

"What previous contract?" Lily asked at once, frowning.

"The one that makes you my servant, Evans," he answered in malicious satisfactory.

She narrowed her eyes but said nothing.

"Right," James said formally after a moment's pause, "So it's settled?"

"Settled," the redhead agreed tranquilly.

With looks of defiance, they picked up their quills (James' a sleek, black, eagle one; Lily's a normal, barn owl feather) and signed their names. They slammed down their quills and glared at each other. Then all of a sudden, Lily stretched out her hand expectantly.

James eyed it uneasily, "What?"

"Shake on it," she told him solemnly.

James scoffed, "You can't be serious."

Unusually grave, Lily said, "Come on. It makes our contract physically official."

Conspicuously, James obliged and they shook hands stiffly. When they let go, Lily felt as if a rock had settled in her stomach. There, they were bound now. She had decided to go through with it, and there was no turning back.

_"...act like a couple in company, smile for the cameras and answer the questions graciously. Article gets published, girls in Italy and even Britain now get disappointed, stop making up stupid stories, leave me and my family alone, and it'll be a real doss."_

Lily inwardly grimaced. Already she was beginning to dread all the disasters that were apt to happen.

"Hey, Evans," James was saying.

"Huh?" Lily came out of her reverie.

"I was just thinking... what do we tell our friends?" he asked with a trace of worry in his voice.

_Oh. Right. Them._

Lily felt so frustrated that she had forgotten about such an important thing that she snapped, "I thought _you'd_ worked that out already."

"Since when did I say that?"

"...Never mind," Lily let out a big sigh.

"Listen," James said pressingly, "Why don't we - why don't we make it so that _they_ know the truth?"

Knitting her eyebrows together, Lily asked dubiously, "You mean tell them that this is fake?"

"Sure," evidently, James had gained confidence in this idea because he was speaking indifferently again, "They'd never believe we were truly engaged, no matter what sodding magazine said."

"I find it hard to swallow that myself," Lily murmured in reluctant agreement, "But we have to limit who we tell, otherwise everyone will know."

James shrugged, "No problem. I'll tell my three friends, and you can tell that little Chinese friend of yours."

Ignoring this jibe on Rinoa, Lily asked a bit nosily, "Three friends? That would make Sirius, Remus and Peter, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah..."

"Aren't you going to enlighten Lydia?"

James froze, as that name brought with it many painful and bitter feelings. Trying not to show it, James muttered steely, "No, I'm not. I think that's settled, then," he added loudly, "That's four people who'll know. If anyone else finds out it's just a contract engagement, appropriate alimony, for lack of a better word, will be decided."

Lily's mouth dropped open and she immediately regretted mentioning Lydia, "What? That's not fair!"

"Yes it is," James said in his usual cocky voice, "This way, we can both be sure the other will keep up their end of the bargain. Be extra careful not to let anything slip, now, will you? Or you can kiss that precious house of yours goodbye."

Lily glared at him.

James simply raised his eyebrows at her, then gave her a wide grin (Lily's glare faltered a little) and asked her most graciously, "So would you prefer the interview to be on Tuesday or Thursday?"

"_What_?"

---

It was almost worse than the time Lily's face was covered in overnight acne; the professional make-up witches seemed to probe everything part of her face, analysing it critically and making 'amendments where needed.'

"A bit more foundation here - and we'll have to cover up that awful pimple there - "

_It's a little freckle!_ Lily thought indignantly, but kept her mouth shut as several hands fussed over her. She felt a sneeze rising up in her nose and forced it back.

It was the same, if not worse, with the hair stylists.

"...got quite a nice, bright colour. Do you put egg in it every fortnight?"

"Oh... no."

"You don't have to lie to me, darling, it's quite alright if you do. Of course, some people like myself don't _need_ to rely on _eggs_ to have beautiful hair. It comes _naturally_..."

_Help me..._

Three-quarters of an hour later, Lily stepped out of the chamber Professor Dumbledore had very kindly lend the beauticians to take refuge in. James was out in the corridor, waiting patiently.

He turned around when he heard the door open and saw a very timid-looking Lily walk out.

They were both dressed in their Hogwarts robes with their Head badges pinned on, but whereas James had only had his hair tamed a bit, Lily had undergone a very intense 'transformation.' Her emerald eyes were bigger and brighter, due to the mascara and eye-liner that the witches had spent fifteen minutes applying (even with magic), and her face was completely unblemished, and seemed to almost _sparkle_. Her red hair, usually swept in a ponytail or a bun, was loose and fell dead straight around her face.

This incredibly confident and on-top-of-the-world look was marred, very slightly, by the fact that Lily looked very out-of-place and uncomfortable.

James, on the other hand, stared at her with the look of a gobsmacked owl for several seconds.

Lily took this goggling as a sign her fears were true.

"I - I look ridiculous, don't I?" she finally asked with a weak chuckle.

It took another second or two for James to compose himself. Clearing his throat and tearing his eyes away from her, he muttered to no one in particular, "It's like a disguise."

Lily stuck out her tongue, something which would have horrified the witches that had been in her company for the past forty-five minutes.

James hesitated for a moment, then pulled out a little box and thrust it to her.

"What?" Lily asked, drawing back a little.

Tutting impatiently more out of embarrassment than anything, James snapped, "The engagement ring. Put it on."

Lily had to think for a moment to let it sink in.

"A ring?" she squeaked nervously, fumbling with the box, "Oh. Okay. I'd forgotten about that. Wow! It's so pretty." Lily gazed rapturously at the little delicate diamond ring, bordered with rubies. Her emerald eyes glistened in awe, her mouth slightly parted.

James couldn't help smiling at her awe, and felt a little proud too.

"Can I keep it?" the redhead asked in sheer delight, her eyes still shining with radiance.

"We'll see how you behave," James told her haughtily, though secretly he was glad she liked it so much, "Now hurry up and put it on."

Lily slid the ring on her finger, still admiring its breathtaking beauty.

"Miss Evans, don't you look spectacular!" Professor Slughorn, looking as if he had won a lifetime supply of crystallised pineapple, was making his way towards them in all his vastness, "I must say, I never realised what an attractive couple you two make!"

James coughed very quietly while Lily looked away, embarrassed.

"Yes, thank you, Professor," James said rigidly, "Are they ready yet?"

"Oh, yes, quite ready indeed," Slughorn said jubilantly. He winked at James, "Can't wait to finally interview you, the ever elusive Heartbreaker! I must say, I never expected you to be found out here at Hogwarts - "

"Yeah, well, things happen," James cut in rather rudely, now looking annoyed. To be true, James felt the blame was to be partially put on Slughorn - after all, his parties were filled with people from the outside. James couldn't help but feel that Slughorn had half-hoped the reporters would find him.

Professor Slughorn led the two to his office, where the interviewing would be undergone, all the while making energetic comments about the 'scandal' and thrill this was going to cause the wizarding world.

Lily felt queasier than ever. Not _that_ many people were interested, were they?

Lily was already feeling squeamish, and the clutter on her face did not help. She felt ridiculous and, like James had said, in a disguise. Oh, how she detested the feel of make-up.

"Now, Lily," Slughorn was telling her, and she paid attention, "James will answer most of the questions, so you don't need to worry too much. Just smile and look at whomever is speaking."

Lily swallowed and said faintly, "Okay."

"There will, however, be some questions directed at you. If you cannot answer it, then take a sip of your water and James will take care of it."

"But," Lily said at once, alarmed, "I'll forget, honestly! Drinking water helps me keep my head so I'll be drinking the whole time!"

"I'm sure she'll be fine," James interrupted as they reached Slughorn's office, and turned to Lily pointedly, "You're always so full of rubbish, Evans, an interview will be a piece of cake."

"_I'm_ full of rubbish?" the redhead repeated, flaring up.

Then they both stopped immediately and turned to Slughorn, who was not quick enough to hide his befuddled expression.

"That is to say, let's go in," James said weakly, holding Lily's arm and smiling most unconvincingly.

Slughorn opened the door and they were dazzled with the lights from the dozen cameras that had started flashing immediately. Lily blinked rapidly and drew back with a wince, but James didn't seem to be the least bit disrupted and simply smiled.

Professor Slughorn led the two to the front of the room, where a high desk had been set up with two glasses of water and a glass jug. Lily tried to walk as naturally as possible, but she couldn't help but stumble. It was a good thing James was holding onto her otherwise she would've fallen in front of about twenty reporters, some of whom were speaking in a foreign language.

The cameras were still flashing madly as the two of them sat down in their places. Lily chanced a glance at James to see how he was, and was awed to see he looked relaxed and composed.

Lily tried not to squint too much (she didn't want photos of herself with half-closed eyes) and gulped. It took her awhile to adjust to the dazzling lights, but after that she scanned the room and saw that in front of her were several desks, all occupied by a reporter armed with scrolls of parchment and a variety of quills. She suddenly felt like she had been pushed into the spotlight - the table she and James were at was on a higher level.

At the back she spotted Professor Dumbledore, looking more withdrawn than Lily had ever seen him. She remembered that Dumbledore disliked any outsiders in Hogwarts, and he had always disapproved of Slughorn's wild parties. Nevertheless, he smiled when Lily caught his eye and she smiled back, despite her nerves.

"Mr Potter will speak first," Professor Slughorn said in a voice Lily had never heard him use; it was professional, indifferent and official, "Questions can be asked after he has finished."

The buzz of murmur quietened down and Lily's mouth went dry. Being Head Girl and speaking up in a Prefect meeting was one thing - but to sit here in front of all these important publishing wizards and have everything she said recorded and read by judgmental witches... this really was much more nerve-wracking.

Almost like a reflex, Lily picked up her glass of water and took a gulp.

James looked up and around the room confidently, making eye-contact. Lily couldn't help admiring his courage and impudence.

"I'm James Potter," James began, and the Quick-Quote Quills went flying, "I'm the son of Alexander Potter, who is currently the Minister for Magic in Italy. I'm seventeen-years-old and I've been going to Hogwarts for the past six years - this year is my seventh and final year. All the rumours regarding my attitude and behaviour towards girls are _not true_."

At this point, several reporters looked ready to burst out in an explosion of questions. But they held their tongue and continued to gaze at James in deep interest. Lily was now impressed at James' ability to make his words sound impromptu, though she knew he had learnt them off by heart.

"However," he looked at Lily sideways, "I _have_ been in an arranged marriage since childhood; that is true," (an very interested murmur crept across the room and the witches and wizards began scribbling madly,) "Her name is Lily Evans, and she's Head Girl at Hogwarts alongside with me. Now, are there any questions? Please bear in mind that I won't be able to answer all of them."

"Mr Potter," said a middle-aged wizard with a hand raised in the air, "Are you saying that _none_ of these rumours printed in Italian magazines for at least three years are true? None of them at all?"

"None," James said firmly.

"Mr Potter, did you really set fire to the Annabella Besteire mansion the previous year?"

The questions were mostly about the many rumours James had been the subject of (none of the reporters seemed entirely convinced that they were not true until they had asked him about each and every one of them), his father, and why James had been so elusive for so long. Lily was very interested to see that James could speak fluent Italian, which she witnessed when some non-English speaking reporters asked him a few questions. No one seemed to be interested in Lily, who relaxed. She had gotten used to the cameras and the several high-profile witches and wizards surrounding her, and all she had to do was sit, drink and listen.

After about ten minutes, however, the attention turned towards her.

"So, this is the redhead we've all seen in _Witch Weekly_," a young witch with a dry smile said, "Mr Potter, do you know why your parents chose Ms Lily Evans to be your wife?"

It was a rather blunt and rude question that James said that he did not know. The questions after that regarded Lily's background; who her parents were, where she lived, how they had any connection with the Potters, etc; Some of them were obviously intended for Lily to answer, but James spoke up every time, aided with Professor Slughorn.

Lily, on the other hand, had felt her throat closed up every time a question was asked. She took several gulps of water and tried not to choke to death in her anxiety.

"How long have you two known each other?"

Lily's windpipe tightened for the umpteenth time and she didn't dare look at James. He, on the other hand, answered quite convincingly, "We've met once every year since we were children. And now, obviously, we see each other every day at Hogwarts."

James turned and gave her an affectionate smile. Lily merely looked stunned for a few seconds, then forced herself to smile back and turn back to the cameras that had immediately flashed.

_Oh dear goodness._

The reporters were all smiling now, though some looked rather humourless.

"You two look so fond of each other," one of them proclaimed with an adoring smile.

"Oh, yes," James insisted, "We forget that we're actually in an arranged marriage. It doesn't feel like that at all."

He glanced at her again, and Lily took this opportunity to throw him a very brief "what the _hell_ are you doing?" look. A fraction of a second later, they both turned their heads and grinned for the cameras again.

Meanwhile, Lily was groaning very loudly on the inside.

Was Potter actually _enjoying_ himself?

"Actually," continued James (yep, he definitely was), "To be honest, we didn't really like each other the first time we met. I had knocked a book out of her hand and she screamed at me to pick it up."

_( "No!" James snapped. He pointed at his book on the floor, "You made me drop that."_

_Lily stared at him in bewilderment, "Yeah, so?"_

_"What d'you mean, so? Pick it up!" )_

There was scattered laughter among the room.

Lily could hardly believe her ears as she dared another look at the boy beside her. James had a slight smirk on his face, that was instantly obliviated with a charming smile. Oh, the nerve of him...

She took a measured sip of water, setting the glass down harder than intended.

Who was full of rubbish _now_?

"We were at odds for quite some time," James said in a convincingly reminiscent voice, "But we finally put our differences aside and became friends. And shortly after that, we fell in love."

Lily was immensely glad she had just swallowed her water, or she would have spat it right back out. None of the reporters seemed to have realised the dumbfounded look on her face; they were too busy smiling and "aww"ing at what James had said.

"This question is for Miss Evans," a witch said, twirling her quill in her hand, "Miss Evans, what is your secret in capturing the heart of a man who has been known, or at least publicised, as a heartbreaker for so many years?"

Lily panicked, her furious disbelief vanishing or at least temporarily driven out of her mind. What was she supposed to say? She didn't have James' uncanny ability to make up rubbish off the top of her head.

"I..." her voice was very quiet and cracked since she had not spoken for awhile, "I don't know," she finally answered truthfully, with a weak chuckle.

"She probably doesn't know how lovable she is," James promptly broke in, with another measured glance at her, "The traits which I once found a reason to annoy her... have become endearing to me. I can talk to her about anything and everything - "

_( "We're both going to be spending a bit of time together, right? So why don't you quit being a hermit, and... you know... just talk and not act as though it's killing you."_

_James raised an eyebrow, then smirked as he lifted his book again._

_"Whatever."_

_Lily stared at him for a moment, then decided it was useless and walked away angrily. )_

" - and find comfort in her. Her laughter just lights up my day," the room was full of smiles now, save the horrified look on the petite girl sitting beside James, "I want to protect her from the world's cruelty that we encounter every day - "

_( "Feeling a bit sick, aren't we?" he whispered maliciously._

_James took a step back, looking down at her yet again as if she was inferior to him._

_Lily felt sicker than she had ever felt in her entire life. Trying to fight the agonising pain she was in, Lily took a deep breath and looked at James in the eye determinedly._

_Lily took a brave step towards him and began, "You - "_

_And she threw up all over him. )_

"...and share my joys and sadness with her. I want her to be a part of my life, now and forever."

_( "And now, GET OUT!"_

_"Excuse me?" Lily said, actually stricken dumb._

_"Get out of my house! I don't ever want to see you again! This is my living room!" James strode across to the kitchen and bellowed, "And this is my kitchen! I own this whole bloody tower!" )_

James beamed as the room broke out in clapping, all the reporters and camera-wizards obviously believing the cock-and-bull this extremely desired and _stupid_ teenage boy had come up with. Slughorn was bringing his hands together in booming applause, and Professor Dumbledore was evidently amused as he lightly clapped.

Lily, on the other hand, was less than displeased. _A lot_ less.

James turned his head and smiled at her again, a smile that to the camera-wizards and all the teenage witches in Italy and Britain might seem loving and joyful, but was vengeful and triumphant to Lily.

Unfortunately the interview had ended and now they wanted pictures, lots and lots of lovely pictures. Telling herself it was almost over, Lily put on a sweet smile and complied to stand next to and quite close to James, trying not to blink or screw up her eyes too much. She was startled and almost gasped out loud when James chuckled jovially and put an arm around her, dragging her much too close for comfort. And when one of the wizards asked her to put her arms around James' waist, she was very close to flat out refusing and storming out of the room. However, a mental image of Full House forced itself into her head and Lily, very reluctantly, lifted her heavy arms and wrapped it around James tentatively, whom she half-expected to shove her away.

On the contrary, James put his strong arms around her and pulled her even closer, making Lily squeal a little in her fright. She dared to look up at him as the clicks of the cameras went off in all different directions, and he looked back with the ghost of a smirk.

"One of the terms was that we _don't_ demand physical intimacy with one another!" Lily hissed through a forced smile.

"Who cares about that now?" James whispered with a manic gleam in his eyes; he tightened his grip around her, "Aren't you enjoying this, darling?"

Lily narrowed her eyes to show him that she was NOT amused and, before she could stop herself, thumped him hard in the chest.

James grabbed her hand to stop her from hitting him again, then turned back to the crowd and laughed as if this was all lover's play. Against her own will, Lily also chuckled in what she considered a very fake and contemptuous way.

Inside, she was squirming.

_This is worth it. This is worth it. This is worth it._

---

Rinoa let out hearty peals of hysterical laughter and rolled off the couch onto the floor, clutching her stomach.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, just laugh at it why don't you?" Lily said wanly, throwing a cushion at her friend. It had been one day since the interview and already it was all over the press. Lily had confided in Rinoa the morning right after and she had found it appalling, but she understood why Lily had chose to do it and respected her decision. Now, Rinoa found it hysterical.

"It's just so _funny_," she gasped, her dishevelled head appearing over the chair, "C'mon, read this, Lillings. 'I want her to be a part of my life, now and forever.' How corny is that?"

"I know it is," Lily said quellingly, snatching the magazine from Rinoa, "But it's not _my_ fault he chose to be such a cheeseball. Besides, this is all for Full House and my mother," she took another look at the article and added with an effective shudder, "Am I ever glad she has no correspondent with the wizarding world, because if she found this magazine... I just hope not too many people will read this."

"Fat chance," Rinoa conceded in a happy voice, "Lily, you've made at least _five _magazines, and there's even a picture of you and Potter in the _Daily Prophet. _You mark my words, everyone will know about your engagement."

Lily groaned, tossing the magazines aside, "Just what I need. More publicity. I miss the days when people knew me by who I was, not by my name."

"Right. Now you're the girl who insulted the almighty Potter, went loggerheads with the irascible Potter, and all along was _engaged_ to the 'heartbreaker' Potter," Rinoa said with a wide grin, "I think you're going to become a legend."

"Come off it," Lily exclaimed hotly, throwing a magazine at Rinoa who had cracked up again.

"Don't throw things at people," the dark-haired girl told her in a posh voice, "Especially not books that have _lovely_ photographs of you snogging a boy."

"I am _not_ snogging him!"

"Look, there's even a picture of your ring! Oh, I know what this is about now," Rinoa said with a mischievous smile, "It's about getting this fabulous piece of jewellery, right? You're acting as his fiancee so you get a big, fat, sparkling diamond to show off on your hand."

Lily rolled her eyes, an act that proved difficult as she had started laughing; Rinoa was the best at cheering her up.

"Honestly, Rin, leave me alone," Lily said as seriously as she could, struggling to keep a straight face.

"All right, all right," Rinoa said soberly, "I will."

Lily gave her a, "thank you" look.

The two girls sat in silence for five ticks. Then Rinoa exclaimed in mock excitement.

"Fame, a shiny ring, and a _handsome_ husband-to-be. What more could you possibly want?"

"Oh, shut _up_."

----------

A/N: HELLO, CHUMS! YAY I'M LEAVING TOMORROW! Hehehe. Well, this was a shortling of a chapter, but I like it very muchly. _(nods)_ It's funny that my French is a lot better than my Italian, even though I learnt Italian for seven years and only did French for one year. But then again, how much _do_ you learn when you're four-years-old? _Rosso, azure, rosa_... _Mi chiamo Aggie. Come stai?_ Hey, I do know some Italian! x)

This was the last of my quick updates. :( For as soon as I come back from HK I'll be diving back into school, where I'll be mightily behind. But always refer to my LiveJournal to see how I'm doing, so you can be sure when the next update will be! Thanks for all your support and sweet reviews, any writer who has you supporting them is surely a very happy camper! xD Keep smiling and take care of yourself, okay? Pray for me! xP - MSQ.


	12. Promises By Night

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**A/N: I know. I'm whooping for joy too. (_Whoop whoop!_) **

Some responses to anonymous reviews which I shall probably never reply to again for it's hard for me to remember. _So sign in or leave an email _for me to get back to ya!

theKRITIC: Yes, I know Anastasia, and I don't see them two together either. But this is Lily and James:O

claire: Lily and James will sort out their differences. They always will. x)

berry scented: How's this for updating soon? LOL! Thanks for the long review. Hehehe, and the hairdresser is a twot indeed. Sparks shall fly... you better be on your toes!

darkmystriss1717: I am indeed back, dearie. :) Thank you for praying for me though! _(hug)_ Hmm, haven't thought about Crysta much. She's annoying. And you shall see for yourself what will happen to Lydia, the other annoying one!

Blueberrymuffin: Firstly, THANKS FOR YOUR REVIEWS! x) I have to focus on my studies, I don't wanna fail! The Writing Fairy must have lost her way; my inspiration has hit an all time low! Awww, keep reviewing for me. :) They are so sweet and nice to read. _(big hug)_

**Full House**

**Chapter Twelve ll Promises By Night**

----------

Even those who never gave a thought to reading a magazine or a newspaper found out the news about Lily and James' engagement. This brought up a number of questions and theories. Some scoffed that, "If it wasn't an arranged marriage James Potter would _so_ not go for her." Others were nonplussed, wondering what had happened to the entertaining pranks and rivalry that had gone on between the Head Boy and Girl.

But most were more interested in the fact that James was famous; fan clubs seemed to have sprung up overnight and it was difficult to find a third-year and above girl who was not involved in some sort of James Potter clique. The Italian legend was having trouble navigating his way around the castle but with the help of his Invisibility Cloak and, his proudest invention of all, the Marauder's Map, he managed to get to his classes without being bombarded by girls. Whenever he was seen, Sirius continued his role as a charming, jovial bodyguard and told the girls soberly, "He's already engaged, ladies!"

It was, in the words of Rinoa Leonhart, very sad.

The Marauders took the _truth_ about Lily and James all differently; Remus did not approve of it very much, saying that it was immoral to use the sacred act of marriage as a contract. James' haughty response was that it was an engagement, not a marriage. Sirius, like Rinoa, found the whole ordeal hilarious, guffawing that he was going to frame the photos and article in the magazines and keep them as a shrine forever. Even an icy glare from James failed to shut him up. Peter was disappointed that Lily and James had stopped fighting, and was a bit confused at what was really happening. Nonetheless, he promised not to tell anyone.

All of them, however, thought it excellent that James and Lily would have to be civil to each other ("That isn't exactly the case, you know. She's still under my contract and I can abuse my authority over her at any time." "Sure, if you want another goose to come and peck your manhood off.") and that they (meaning James) would learn their lesson in due time.

James' parents sent him a letter, expressing their joy that he had found such a wonderful partner for himself and that they were happy for him. They did, however, want to meet this girl as soon as they graduated from Hogwarts. And his father wasn't so pleased that he had to find out through a magazine.

Girls weren't quite so hostile towards Lily anymore, but they certainly weren't friendly. They seemed to goggle at her as some sort of awe-inspiring angel, too wonderful and mighty to approach. And some were annoying, curious squealers, following Lily and asking her questions about James that made her gag.

It was one of the longest weeks the Head Boy and Head Girl of Hogwarts had to live; the topic of their engagement went on for a full eight days, and soon magazines were banned from the classrooms and corridors out of pure frustration. The teachers were obviously not impressed, save one or two who, like the students, seemed to be seized with awe.

As for Lily and James personally, they managed to get out of the Head tower regularly for classes, lunch and an occasional visit to the Gryffindor common-room, though these trips around the castle were more uncomfortable than before. Inside the Head tower, Lily continued to cook and clean for James, who was usually holed up in his bedroom or reclining on the couch.

"What do you want for dinner?" Lily asked him from the kitchen, at the same time keeping an eye on a textbook that was propped up against the fruit bowl on the counter.

Usually Lily would just make whatever came to her mind first and set it in front of James. The meal was never up to his standards and she had learnt to tune out while he rambled on about poor presentation and, "You call this food fit for human consumption?"

However, every now and then Lily felt a fleeting stab of kindness and would ask James what he wanted.

"Anything," came his irritable reply, "So long as it's not food for the pigs."

Lily rolled her eyes and made a note to never ask James again. Still reading her book from a distance, she took out a loaf of elf-made bread and began dinner.

James was struggling with his Charms assignment in the living room, though he would never tell Lily. They were supposed to be filling out a table with all the correct wand movements and incantations, without referring to a book, and it was proving to be a hard feat.

Lily, on the other hand, had got it completed during class time when everyone else was perfecting their Colour-Changing Charms.

James grunted quietly, and his eyes darted up to watch Lily as she moved around the little kitchen. He had to admit he was surprised that she had taken onto this _huge_ change so well. Sure, she'd yelled at him a bit when he asked her to be his fiancee, but that was to be expected. Apart from that, her behaviour had been quite well during the interview and the sensation it had caused afterwards, particularly when James heard that a cluster of girls had approached her and demanded if her fiance had body piercings.

Honestly, what were they _thinking_?

A feeling descended upon James and it took him a moment to realise he kind of admired her strength. Almost panicked by this, he put down his work and got to his feet, prowling towards the kitchen to find something he could put down Lily for, so he could drive away this _admiration_ he did not understand.

"Hey Evans," he said casually, leaning on the counter, "What are you making?"

"Food for the boars," Lily said sarcastically, her eyes never leaving the page.

James glanced at the book she was reading and swiftly knocked it over. Lily's eyes snapped to him at once.

"Oi! I was studying," she said reproachfully, reaching forward to pick it up.

"Alright, new rule," James said sagely, whipping the book out of her grasp, "No reading when you're cooking." He smiled coyly, "It's dangerous. Besides, it's probably why your food tastes so bad."

"Cheers," Lily said contemptuously without looking at him, going back to the food she was making.

James studied it and leaned forward surreptitiously, "What's this?"

"Mini pizzas," the redhead answered calmly, sprinkling grated cheese on top of the tomato-sauce covered bread.

"Pizza?" James repeated sceptically, reaching out and tugging at one of them; Lily smacked him away, "This isn't pizza. Pizza has a base made out of pastry, not bread."

"It tastes the same, Potter," Lily said wanly, now slicing up some capsicum.

"No it doesn't," James said stubbornly, "This is rubbish, go mix up some pastry - "

"Sod off, Potter!" Lily cried warningly, flourishing the knife she was holding.

"Alright, alright! Merlin, woman, you _are_ a dragon..."

Lily glanced at him briefly with raised eyebrows then went back to slicing. In five minutes she had sliced up all the ingredients and began to divide them evenly onto each piece of bread. James continued to sit at the counter, watching her annoyingly close and commenting that _real_ Italian-chef-made pizzas had much better and gourmet ingredients.

"Hey," James said suddenly in a different tone, "Why don't you use magic to cook? Surely it's much faster."

"Never tried it before," Lily said breezily, shutting the pizzas up in the oven, "And I don't think now's the time to start. Unless you want some knives hurtling in your direction."

That shut him up.

When their dinner was cooked, Lily carefully put them on two plates and set it on the table. James was still perched at the counter, looking at her in benign interest.

"What?" she finally asked out of exasperation, "Have I grown an extra head or something?"

"No," James said in a funny voice. Truth be told, he was realising just how enjoyable being in Lily's company was. He grinned at her and said bossily, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get the cutlery."

Lily sighed; all he ever talked to her about was housework. It made her feel inferior sometimes, as if she really was some little housemaid.

_You're not telling me I actually want him to talk to me, chum-to-chum. _

She quickly dismissed the thought and they took their spots at the dinner table. James looked at his plate. A square-shaped piece of bread, all yellow and reddy with some meat and vegetables embedded into the melted cheese. He supposed it didn't look _that_ bad.

But of course he'd never admit it.

"You know what this looks like, Evans?" James started his daily food critic speech, "An animal's that's been run over by a car."

Lily frowned at him, her mouth already full, "Please," she said muffledly, "I'm eating here. From now on keep your impressions to yourself."

"But where is the fun in that?" he asked innocently.

Swallowing, Lily looked at him seriously and replied, "How would you like it if you were eating and I just showed you the contents of my mouth?"

"You'd need to ask me a question first."

"And what would that be?"

"Do you like seafood?"

She rolled her eyes, taking another bite of her pizza, "That's such a stupid joke, Potter. I expected better from you."

James shrugged, smiling sheepishly, "Who says I can't be stupid and immature once in awhile?"

"No one obviously, as you're always acting that way."

He narrowed his eyes at her and she angelically smiled back. Lily continued to eat with the soberest expression on her face, as if nothing had happened. James, on the other hand, remained adamant.

"Oh, honestly," Lily finally broke the silence impatiently, "Just eat it, will you?"

James gingerly reached out for his pizza, then withdrew his hand as if he had been burnt. "I have to use my hands?" he asked rashly, looking indignantly grossed-out.

Lily rolled her eyes, sighing loudly, "Honestly..."

"_Honestly_," James mimicked her.

She glared at him.

Then, quite suddenly, she was leaning half-way across the table, holding his slice of pizza about an inch away from his mouth. James immediately yelped and drew back.

"Merlin's hat! What the heck are you doing?"

"You want to be fed as well, _fine_! There are no limits to what a house-elf does for her master," Lily said in an even voice, her expression stormy, "Open your mouth!" she commanded.

James tried to lean as far away as possible and pressed his lips firmly together.

Eyes sparking indignantly, Lily stretched herself even further and thrust the pizza at his face. It missed by a fraction of an inch.

"Eat it, you warthog!"

"NO!"

"Yes!"

"_No_!"

"YES!" in vain Lily struggled to get closer, but only succeeded in pushing the table into his stomach.

"Ow! You're gonna kill me, woman!"

"_Just eat the bloody thing already_!"

"NO!"

James forced the table back so that it knocked into her. Taking deep breaths he massaged his stomach and stared at her in disbelief. She was looking back at him, the pizza (now looking a bit limp and damaged) still in her hand.

Lily took a deep breath, then jumped up and reached across the table.

_Holy crap. She is crazy._

And before James could react on this thought, she had stuffed the pizza, whole, into his fractionally opened mouth. While he coughed and spluttered, Lily, with the air of one who has accomplished an awesome task, sat back down in her seat and resumed her meal as if she had not just attacked the Head Boy.

"_For Merlin's sake_..." James muttered, still spluttering. He glowered at her as he downed his entire glass of pumpkin juice. She merely arched an eyebrow in return.

Had it really been only five minutes ago that he thought he _enjoyed_ her company?

James shuddered.

"Oi," Lily said serenely, making his eyes snap back to her, "Are you going to eat it, or not?"

Trying to keep his voice calm, James shot back, "What are you going to do if I don't?"

She looked vaguely sceptical, "Do I need to remind you?"

He merely snorted in reply, but secretly did not want to go through _that _episode again. Making it out as if he were humouring her, James picked up the dishevelled slice of pizza, lifted it so she could see, then took a tremendous bite after throwing her a defiant look.

He chewed with more vim that was strictly necessary, as if each ingredient in his mouth had done him grave offence. James could taste mushroom, cheese, tomato, some beef and... capsicum?

A nice blend of flavours... he rather liked the taste of it, along with the feel of a crispy bread-base. (Slightly chewy now after all the drama it had undergone.)

_Hmm. Not bad._

"You know," James said slowly as he let the aromas take over his tastebuds, "This isn't actually that bad."

Lily was surprised, but merely replied, "I thought so."

They ate, occasionally making small talk but mostly staying in a subdued (at least on Lily's part) silence. All that was going through her mind was homework. James, on the other hand, was troubling himself over her. Why did she have to be so annoying and pushy sometimes?

Some house-elf she was.

When the meal was over James returned to his Charms chart, though he couldn't concentrate and kept glancing up towards the kitchen for no real reason. Lily had piled all the dirty dishes and cutlery in the sink, and was wiping the table clean. She made a mental note to mop up the floor afterwards. There were bits of capsicum and meat underneath the chairs.

_Stupid girl. Stupid, annoying, bloody girl. Forced me to eat her abominable dinner that wasn't that bad after all. But still. Since when did little house-elves force-feed their masters? I should add more to her workload. We'll see who's leaping onto tables then._

James let out a deep breath, blowing his jet-black hair out of his eyes. Just when he thought she could be human she had to go and... well, try to attack him. She was in the living room now, wiping the coffee table and dusting the mantelpiece. James quickly looked back down at his work and pretended to be absorbed in it. Straining his memory, he began furiously filling the chart out without much thought or consideration.

Lily came by him, straightening the cushions on the sofa he was sitting on. He wished she wouldn't.

"The wand movement for the _Ignatius_ spell is up-down-half twirl and sharp right, not up-down-twirl-down," she told him over his shoulder, making James narrow his eyes, "And you spelt _Ignatius _wrong. It's got one _t_ in it, not three."

"Thanks, Professor," he said coldly, covering his parchment so she wouldn't spot the other, much more incorrect wand movements he had written down.

"Only trying to help," Lily said with a shrug, "And evidently you need a lot of it, because we're not even doing level-ten spells yet, which is what _Calcatra_ is."

Flipping his chart over so she couldn't see anymore, James looked at her in a mixture of resentment and embarrassment, and said sharply, "Leave me alone and wash the dishes or something!"

"I don't feel like them at the moment," Lily replied complacently, not at all perturbed. On the contrary, she perched herself beside him (James quickly scrambled back as if she was an Acromantula) and picked up his chart before James could stop her.

"My, my, my, you think the words _Agrafes Selpats _come from Latin?" she looked at James and laughed mockingly, "Isn't somebody stupid?"

Cheeks turning crimson, James made a grab for his homework but Lily turned away from him.

"Evans! This isn't funny!" he yelled shamefacedly, frustrated.

"And I hate to break it to you, but _Agrafes_ doesn't have a _w_ in it," was the redhead's rejoinder, her voice full of amusement and malice. James grunted and leapt for his chart again, but Lily pulled it away.

"Admit it, Potter. You need help."

"What's it to you?" James retorted hotly, his hair dishevelled and his face still pink from Lily's taunts.

"Because I can help you!" Lily smiled brightly at him.

That stumped James. His initial angry embarrassment dissolving, he looked at her with a frown, "You can?" That would be a miracle. He had no clue what all the wand movements were, never having thought it would be important.

"Not without a cost, though," she said in a song-song way.

"What, you mean another contract?"

"Does everything have to be a contract to you, Potter?" Lily said with a little sigh, "Think of this as an exchange... a deal... or better yet, a promise! A promise sounds so much more nicer and unbusiness-like."

"Whatever."

"Do you want my help or not? Offer's on the table."

James shrugged, "What's the _promise_?"

"Say I help you with your homework... and... you can return the favour to me someday!" she suggested cheerily, anticipating his reaction. She wasn't surprised when James raised his eyebrows.

"That's way too vague, Evans," he said broodingly.

"Fine, fine..." Lily thought hard for a moment and James waited patiently, wondering what she was going to come up with, "How about you do a household chore for me? Will that suit you, _sir_?"

"I guess it'll have to be," James said ungraciously, though he felt the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile.

"Good, good. We have a deal then."

"A _promise._"

"Oh, _whatever_," the redhead threw him a look, "Now let's see. You've got the first five correct, though once again you misspelled a word... what's with you and spelling?"

"Those words aren't even in the English language!"

Lily rolled her eyes for what seemed like the fifth time that night.

"Okay, Potter," she said tolerably, after they had straightened out a couple more misspelled words, "There's a really simple way to remember the wand movement for the _Evermoria_ counter-curse."

James raised his eyebrows, "Oh, is there?"

"Yeah, there's a song to it! Errr... Professor Flitwick taught us," Lily said dodgily, glancing at the floor as she said this.

"A song?" James repeated sceptically.

"I'll show you," Lily took his wand ("Oi! That's mine!"), "_Hush_ for a moment. Okay. Jack and Jill went _up_ - " she flicked the wand up, " - the hill to fetch a pail of..." she looked at James expectantly.

"Water?" he guessed unenthusiastically.

"No! _Evermoria_."

"What the - ?" James exclaimed, flabbergasted, "You mean to tell me Flitwick twisted that poor old nursery rhyme so that Jack went to fetch some _Evermoria_?"

"A _pail_ of _Evermoria_," Lily said reprovingly.

James looked like he thought they were insane.

"Right," he finally said, shaking his head, "And what comes after that? They all went tumbling after?"

"No! Jack fell _down_, and broke his _crown_," Lily drew three triangles in the air, "And Jill came _tumbling_ - " she directed the wand in a series of four circles, " - after."

Pause.

"Professor Flitwick didn't make that up, did he?"

"No."

"You did, didn't you?"

"Yes."

James snickered.

"What?" Lily asked him indignantly, though she was going a faint pink.

James tried hard not to laugh again. _This girl is insane. Maybe she's not so bad after all._

"Nothing... actually, it's pretty good," James told her lightly, still snickering a little.

Lily's eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Well... yeah. I mean, you got everything in it. The up, the down, the three-triangle part and even the four-circle-join," he paused as he realised how clever it actually was, then quickly added, "I guess airheads have their good days."

Lily threw him another dirty look.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you do that and the wind changes, you'll be stuck with that expression your whole life?" James teased.

"So _that's_ what happened to your face!"

He immediately scowled. Lily grinned triumphantly.

"Ah, dear master," she told him calmly, searching his chart for more mistakes, "You are so easy to make fun of. It's beginning to lose its appeal."

James analysed her critically for a second, watching her as she looked over the piece of parchment. Her red hair was in its usual ponytail, with a few strands loose and falling into her eyes.

"Hey," he said suddenly without planning to and before he could stop himself, "Come here."

She looked at him, a small frown on her face, "Huh?"

"Just come closer," James insisted impatiently. Lily apprehensively shifted a bit closer towards him.

"Turn your head."

"...Why?"

"Just do it!"

Lily turned her head to him slowly, wondering what this was all about. She drew a sharp intake of breath when she felt his hand on her hair, but didn't say anything. She sat in silence while James pulled out her hairtie and started smoothing down her hair.

After a moment, Lily said bluntly, "You're touching my hair."

"Yeah..." James had no idea what she meant by that, apart from the obvious, "...I am. It's just those bloody loose strands, they're annoying. How can you see with them in your face twenty-four hours a day?" he asked in a rush, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"X-ray vision."

James snorted and yanked at her hair, "Oops. Accident," he said sombrely as she gave a cry. ("Ouch! Be careful!")

He carefully brushed the "annoying loose strands" back with the rest of her hair, and started to pull it back into a ponytail. Finally he secured the hairtie in place and informed her, "You don't look like a banshee anymore."

"Oh, sod off," Lily swatted at him, only half-annoyed. Then she looked at him tentatively and added reluctantly, "Thanks."

James shrugged, "No problem."

A bit awkwardly, the redhead gestured at the work that was in front of them, "Shall we get back to our studying session?"

"If you could call it that."

So the Head Boy and Head Girl went hand in hand (not literally), united with the common goal of trying to finish James' Charms chart without the use of a textbook. This proved so long and tedious (particularly since James did like to "disrupt" the "lesson" to annoy his "tutor") that the two grew bored and decided it was time for a snack.

"Absolutely nothing!" Lily said in shock, slamming the cabinet doors shut, "Did you eat all those cookies I got last week?"

"So what if I did? It's _my_ house!"

"Yes, but - frrr, Potter, you frustrate me!"

James smirked, "I know I do. Look, if it'll make you _feel_ any better," he said in mock sympathy, "I'll go and get some more food. _I'll_ go and get some more food. Take note of the _I_."

"Yes, isn't it shocking that _you'll_ actually go and do something for yourself?" Lily said caustically.

"Just for that, I'm not getting any chocolate bars."

That did the trick.

"No, Potter! Get some for me!" her tone had changed from nasty to pleading.

"No. _Whoa_," this as a book narrowly missed his head, "Not this again! You think I'll actually get something for you if you resort to violence? _Merlin_!" an empty ink bottle flew past his left ear, "_Alright, alright_. I'll get the bloody chocolate."

James walked to the portrait hole. He turned around, grinning, and yelled, "NOT!" before he ducked outside the common-room and slammed the portrait door shut. He was about to break into a run lest Lily should follow and yell at him when he noticed there was someone standing directly in front of him.

"_Merlin's beard_. Lydia?"

"Hi, James," Lydia said a bit nervously, her dark brown eyes moving quickly. There she was, standing there. Obviously she had been intending to walk up to the portrait and knock. James felt his breath catch in his throat and couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"Oh - hi," he said quietly, "What - what are you doing here?"

He hadn't spoken to her since Slughorn's party, which had been almost two weeks ago. On more than one occasion he knew that she was approaching him, but he had ran away before she could open her mouth.

He didn't _want_ to talk to her.

...Kind of.

So James had lived in peace, for lack of a better word, for a little while, intending to forget about Lydia and his problems associated with her _just_ for now until his life was back on track. Now that she was in front of him in the flesh, James felt a sense of guilt and embarrassment and wounded pride.

"I - I wanted to see you," Lydia said awkwardly, still not meeting his eyes, though, admittedly, James was still intensely interested in the carpet, "I haven't talked to you in a bit." Apparently gaining confidence, she looked up defiantly and said straight to the point, "You've been avoiding me, James."

"Oh," now that he was caught, James looked up as well and said hastily, "No, I haven't! I've just been... busy."

He thought it was a commonly-used and lame excuse, and by the looks of it, so did she.

"James," Lydia started in a small voice, "You're not angry at me, are you?"

She sounded so little and innocent, like a sweet young girl asking her mother if she might go to the Sunday school picnic, and that she was about to burst into tears if she was denied permission.

_That was one weird way to put it._

James inwardly sighed, his heart softening at the sight of her pretty, petite figure and her wide brown eyes, framed with such long and exquisite eyelashes. How could he continue ignoring her? Why was he angry at her? Now that James thought about it, was he even angry at her in the first place? He really couldn't remember anything, his mind had suddenly jammed on him.

"No," he finally said truthfully, "Of course I'm not. Why would I be, anyway?" _Oh, right. The party. ...Forget it._

He smiled at her half-heartedly, unsure of how she would respond. To his immense relief, Lydia's heart-warming smile had dawned on her face again, and he just knew that all was well.

_What a relief._

"James, let's go somewhere tonight," she said wistfully, holding onto his arm, "It's been _ages_ since I last got to speak to you. We have a lot of catching up to do."

James felt himself go tingly at the light, pleasant pressure of her arm on him and swallowed. All thoughts on Lily and their little promise flew out of his head. All he could think of was the pretty brunette standing so close to him, whom he had not had the chance to talk to in awhile.

"Yeah, okay. Sure," James said amiably, smiling at Lydia, "Where do you wanna go?"

"Hmmm," Lydia mused, as she walked closely beside him so that their sides were brushing, "What about the Astronomy tower? I heard it's a really pretty place at night."

"Oh, yeah. It is kinda nice."

"Have you ever been there?"

"For assignments and exams and stuff, yeah. It's nice because you get to see all the stars and even the lake below."

Lydia smiled up at him, "That's the most philosophical thing I've ever heard you say."

James chuckled, "If that's true then that's quite sad. C'mon, it's a little further up here."

The Astronomy tower was empty and crowded with mysterious instruments as usual, except for a little area right at the front. Lydia and James sat down on the cushions, staring up into the starry sky that twinkled and winked like a promise of guidance and love.

They sat silently for a peaceful moment. Then Lydia spoke up and they started to talk about what had been happening in their lives at Hogwarts. They made fun of some Hufflepuffs, abused one or two teachers, and exchanged opinions about what they didn't like about England.

"Of course, it's good to be here with you," she assured him in her sweet, dainty voice, and his heart started beating a queer, quick yet pleasant beat, "But I do miss Italy. And even now I'm afraid _you_ aren't going to be here for me anymore..." she trailed off, still looking at the stars.

James immediately turned to her, "What do you mean?"

Lydia gave him a small smile, "You know what I'm talking about. You're engaged, James."

_I'm what?_

"Oh, oh yeah! I am," he said quickly, and added as well to hide his earlier befuddlement, "Ev - Lily's great."

Lydia sighed loudly, stretching her legs and clasping her hands in her lap, "You see, James? You've got somebody else, and Sirius..." her voice hardened, "Well, he's not even talking to me anymore."

"He isn't?" James asked curiously. It wasn't like Sirius to "not speak" to someone.

"Oh, alright. _I'm_ not talking to him," Lydia said yieldingly, embarrassment on her brow, "But it may as well be the same thing. Two of my childhood friends have left me," she smiled sadly, "Sad, isn't it?"

"I haven't left you," James insisted, "Neither has Sirius, if you'd just give him the chance."

Lydia shook her head mutely, adamant on this gloomy mood she had taken up, "James, you didn't even tell me you were engaged to that girl."

"That's - that's because - " James fumbled through his thoughts desperately.

"Don't worry," the brunette said in a reassuring voice, looking apologetic, "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I suppose... you must have had your reasons." She looked up at the sky again, and James followed her gaze shamefacedly.

"I - I'm still special to you, James, aren't I?"

Her voice was calm, but with a slight tremor and plea to it. She sounded so vulnerable and lost, seeking for comfort, for solitude, for reassurance. James could never resist that tone.

"Of course you are," he replied gently, smiling uncertainly at her, "You always will be." James was never too good at comforting people, but he thought that being sincere was a good start.

Lydia smiled back at him, her beautiful, heart-warming smile. Then she turned back towards the open stone window and her eyes reflected the silver stars up in the black sky.

"Good," she said softly.

Then they fell back into a harmonious and relaxing silence. James had a little smile on his face as he sat there on a scarlet cushion. He would have admitted that he had had an alright week, but now that things were fine between him and Lydia again, he felt like he could take on anything.

The Astronomy tower was a delightful spot to just sit at and gaze at the stars, occasionally expressing what they felt inside or laughingly pointing out some images the stars made. After another half hour, Lydia and James headed back downstairs. It was late, and they had classes tomorrow.

The walk to the Gryffindor common-room was a happy and enjoyable stroll. It felt like their old times as they laughed and joked about childhood memories, bringing up "do you remembers" and teasing one another about past fashions or actions.

Finally, they were at the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was nodding off to sleep with her elbows on the table.

Lydia turned to James, only having to look up slightly as she was just a little shorter than him.

"Thanks, James," she whispered, and did something she had never done before. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close for a hug. James stumbled a little, but immediately smiled as he uncertainly placed his hands on her back.

"It's okay," he replied a little awkwardly, but his insides were cheering and he knew he would have trouble wiping the smile off his face.

She released him and fixed her large chocolate brown eyes on him intently, but there was a playful spark in them.

"Keep your promise, okay?" Lydia told him seriously, "Otherwise I'll cry and never speak to you again."

James was puzzled, "What promise?"

"That I'll always be special to you. Promise me, alright?"

_She's so cute..._

He smiled at her sheepishly, "I promise."

James hooked his pinky with Lydia's outstretched one, and she beamed at him.

----------

A/N: _(comes onto stage shyly)_ Err .. hello? ANYONE HEEEEEEEEEERE? Holy cake, it has been a dang WHILE my friends. :) So .. how is .. everyone? Alright, alright, it's been over a month. I deserve a lecture. But I did finally update .. yeah? _(nods vigorously)_ That _must_ account for something! Lol. For "story of my life" check my LiveJournal. Lots of ramblings there. :) Thank you _dearly_ to those who comment, review, email me, send me messages and stuff! I have missed you guys incredibly!

This chapter was a lot shorter than I intended it to be, because I went mad and decided I wanted to update ASAP. So I decided to split it into two so you guys wouldn't have to wait any longer. It annoys me, though, because if I had been planning to make it as short as I have done, then I wouldn't have taken so long to update! Grrr! Anyway, this chapter was basically just to patch things up between Lydia and James, so then I can carry on and torment my characters with their complicated relationship. Oh, joy:)

So concludes my author's note, which seems inappropriately short after the _decades_ it's taken me to update (once again - check my LJ!) but I don't want to delay this update any longer _soo_ .. HAPPY EASTER MY BUNNIES! - MSQ. **(finally)**


	13. Disappearances And Returns

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Thirteen ll Disappearances And Returns**

----------

Stealing a glance at her slumbering form, he shut the portrait behind him as quietly as possible then tiptoed across the living room with the air of a burglar. He had almost passed her when her eyes flew open with a sudden startlingness. James winced and braced himself for the explosion.

_Oh, this is not going to be pretty..._

"POTTER!"

_I must be a Seer or something._

"Errr... yeah?" he said tentatively, attempting to look genial.

Lily's red hair was mussed up behind her, but her green eyes were sharp and resentful. With an almost hawk-like gaze she looked at him and demanded, "_Where_ is my chocolate and _what_ in Merlin's name took you so long?"

James was at a loss at what to say.

"_Well_?" Lily prompted crossly.

"Well... I met - I met Lydia at the door and..." James tripped over his own words, wondering if it was such a good idea to tell the truth and figuring it was too late anyway, "And, well... we... we went to... to talk."

A funny look crossed Lily's face. James would not have been able to pinpoint exactly how she was feeling even if he had been looking at her directly, which he was too cowardly to do.

"I see," was all the redhead said in a softer voice. Just when James thought '_Hey, maybe she's not angry after all'_ and dared to look up at her, Lily leapt to her feet and exclaimed haughtily, "You still could've told me or something! D'you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"

"Obviously not that long as you fell asleep," James replied before he could stop himself, "Time flies when you're sleeping."

"That's beside the point!" Lily said through clenched teeth, "You don't make people wait for you like that! It's _irresponsible_."

James looked dubious, his nervousness evaporating quite quickly as he stood up straighter. _Why do I have to listen to this? Since when was I afraid of her?_

"Are you trying to lecture me?" he demanded of her loudly.

Lily stopped, confused at his sudden mood change. She eyed him warily.

"Because if you are," he continued significantly, looking down at her, "You honestly have no respect." James gave her a strict, meaningful look, as if he was far too superior for her, then yawned widely.

"I'm tired. Tidy this up," James gestured at the coffee table, "And then just go to bed. You have to wake up early to cook breakfast tomorrow."

Lily swallowed but didn't say anything. James didn't seem to notice and went to his bedroom with something like a swagger, shutting the door behind him. Lily stood at the sofa for a futher three seconds, still staring at the door with a faint frown on her face.

Then she let out a big sigh she didn't know she had been holding in, and marched over to the coffee table.

"What's wrong with that boy?" Lily murmured to herself, unable to comprehend the heavy feeling that had settled upon her, "He's such an enigma," she sighed again, stacking books in a neat pile. Then she straightened up, her temper flaring for a moment, "All he had to do was get some chocolate! But_ nooo_... then he met _Lydia_ - " she suddenly felt a jolt inside her stomach; it was a queer, fierce sort of jolt that Lily couldn't familiarise at first.

Worried by this feeling, Lily put her hands to her face and mumbled, "What's the matter with me? Why am I so worked up over this?"

Reassuring herself that it had just been a long day and James being a prick had just made her feel bad, Lily betook herself to bed, mentally reminding herself never to offer James help in anything again.

---

Waking up the next morning, Lily lay in her warm bed and stared at the top of her four-poster. With a sunken heart she realised she still felt upset about what James had done (or _not_ done) last night.

She rolled onto her side and squeezed her eyes shut.

_Good Merlin, just get over it already, Lily Evans! So he forgot about me and our little promise with him... who cares? What else could you expect from such a person? I've always known he was selfish and ungrateful, why is this coming to me as such a shock?_

Her eyes flew open again and she stared at the wall. She had at last pinpointed the reason why she was feeling so bad, or so she thought. It was because she had come to realise that James Potter wasn't an _all_ bad person; that he had, in fact, a good heart and a nice personality, and Lily had learnt to respect and even like his traits a little.

So it made sense that she was feeling disappointed and upset that he had gone and proven her wrong.

_Right?_

_Right._

_But what he did wasn't that bad. I mean, it's human to forget things, isn't it?_

_For Merlin's sake, make up your mind!_

_Alright, alright... stop thinking, just stop thinking and everything'll be fine._

Lily closed her eyes again and let out a deep breath. It was almost six-thirty... she'd have to get up soon and cook breakfast. That was about the only meal Lily could make that James wouldn't criticise about. She had perfected it.

A reluctant smile tugged at her mouth as she thought about the first day she had been made a "house-elf". She had been _so_ angry and at the same time deathly scared of the tasks that awaited her - the biggest of them all, of course, was baking the bread.

She had come pretty far - both in cookery skills and in her relationship with James. With the space that confined them, they _had_ started to respect each other. So different from the times when he'd made her life a living hell and she in turn set a Boggart on him.

Lily chuckled a little at the memory, but the laughter soon faded away. She felt ridiculous, the way her emotions were at the moment. All pessimistic and in memory-mode, as if she were on her death bed.

No, she wouldn't be this way just because James had disappointed her. She had always vowed she wouldn't let him get to her, and though that vow had been broken numerous times when she lost her temper at him, Lily would _not_ allow James to make her feel all downtrodden and like some depressed little fourteen-year-old.

Revitalised with this new fierce energy, Lily got up and started to get herself ready for the day, discarding any thought that was related to James.

Lily was scrambling the eggs when James Potter emerged from his bedroom, which was surprising in itself as she usually had to wake him up, looking neat and tidy and impeccable in his Hogwarts' school uniform.

What was more, he grinned at Lily and greeted tranquilly, "Good morning, Evans."

She stared at him.

James was unperturbed. He strode over to the counter and sat down, apparently in a very good mood. Lily was nonplussed. James was never in a good mood in her company, especially not during the morning after she and him had gotten into a disagreement.

"So, how are you?"

Slowly, Lily turned back towards her eggs and said uncertainly, "I'm fine..."

Still bouyant, James asked her politely, "When's breakfast gonna be ready?"

"Soon," Lily replied without turning around, scraping the eggs onto a plate. She placed two slices of toast with it, and set the plate down in front of James without bothering to even look at him.

"Just leave your plate in the sink. I'll wash up later," she said in a monotone when she came out of her bedroom, holding her bookbag. Lily was almost out of the portrait hole when she heard James call in confusion, "Hold on! Aren't you going to eat?"

Lily headed for the library, feeling doubly worse than she had before. It was like some sort of annoying headache that contributed to the feelings of hopelessness and sadness that were revolving around in her.

So much for not letting him get to her.

She sighed and felt like kicking the caretaker's cat that had just trotted past her. She had always hated that cat, forever slinking down corridors and staring at people with those freaky yellow eyes.

_Great. Now I'm being mean to a cat_.

Once Lily reached the empty library, she made a beeline for her favourite spot and plopped down, pulling out her books and equipment. She took out an oldened piece of parchment and began to read over it, the familiar words and sentences washing a great sense of peace over her. Lily could not remember a time that she did not like reading and writing, and she dreamt one day of becoming an aspiring author or maybe a journalist.

She was so absorbed with her story that it came as quite a shock when there was a voice right behind her.

"Hi, Lily."

Lily started but put on a smile when she saw who it was.

"Oh, hi Charlie," she greeted back, reluctantly rolling up her story and setting it back in her book bag.

Charlie bent down a little, "I'm sorry, did I interrupt anything?"

"Oh, no, no!" Lily told him earnestly, blushing a little, "It's fine. Why don't you sit down? What are you here so early?"

The tall, handsome boy complied and took a seat, putting _his_ book bag at his feet.

"I've got a Herbology essay to finish," he replied, holding out his scroll of parchment, "It's due today, so I'm really in a jam." When Lily failed to say anything, Charlie leant forward and asked, "Are you alright?"

For the second time in thirty seconds, Lily felt a mixture of guilt and embarrassment. Really, she didn't mean to sound so offhand as she knew she must (and she thought she was good at concealing her emotions) and she definitely didn't mean to offend Charlie in any way, as she had the first time.

Since the night of Slughorn's party a certain bond had formed between Lily and Charlie. Though they rarely spoke or hung out, when they _did_ meet each other it was though they had been friends since birth. The occasional wave in the corridor and always a bright "how are you?" to catch up on the other's mystery life had somehow taken the shape of a slightly opaque yet very existing friendship.

"I'm sorry," the redhead breathed, not looking at Charlie but at the shelf behind him, "I suppose I'm not feeling well."

"The workload getting to you?"

"In a sense," Lily murmured, thinking about her housework, then said a bit more clearer, "I think it's more of a James Potter problem."

Charlie looked sympathetic, "A lover's quarrel, eh?"

"A _wha_ - oh, yeah, maybe," she finished off in a mumble, having caught herself at the last second, "Wouldn't exactly use that term, though."

With a chortle, Charlie reassured her, "Don't worry about it, Lily. You two will work it out. From what I can make of it, James absolutely adores you."

Lily couldn't help snorting and laughing at the irony afterwards.

Charlie watched her for a minute, looking confused but amused at the same time. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked her when she calmed down a little.

"It's a little complicated," Lily said bemusedly, "A lot more complicated than that, actually." She paused, choosing her words carefully so that she could say how she was feeling without serious breach of the contract, "An arranged marriage is a very... strange thing. You're... _forced_ into a situation with, well, a stranger. You may not get along at first, but overtime, you sort of... learn to respect them."

Charlie nodded slowly, "That makes sense."

_Really? Phew._

"But then there are problems," Lily continued reluctantly, "There are hurdles you have to overcome to ensure that the relationship is stable and that you'll get along with them with no hard feelings. That's where I'm at."

"So," Charlie said thoughtfully, "You and James are trying to overcome an obstacle?"

Lily felt a bit uncomfortable hearing this. Of course, she knew that ninety-nine percent of Hogwarts' population thought she and James were engaged - but it was still strange hearing things like this.

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"Well, every relationship has its downs. You and James will get over this. I mean, didn't you two fight a lot at the beginning of this year?"

"We were... having fun," Lily said weakly, "With the pranks and all."

A sceptical look crossed his face, "Sounds like an odd sort of fun."

Lily laughed, "Yeah. I guess we're mad like that sometimes."

He leant forward with a sympathetic smile and patted her on the shoulder, "You'll be fine, Lily. You and James will work things out. After all, you two really love each other."

She was silent for a second. Then she smiled at him and said sincerely, "Thanks. And now I'm pretty sure I've bored you to death with my babbling, so why don't I return the favour? What part of Herbology do you need help on?"

And for some reason, from then on, Lily felt better.

---

James couldn't remember a happier day in his seventh-year. He was actually whistling when he walked down corridors and wore a bright expression instead of a moody one that usually occupied that space.

After spending the morning with the Marauders, James then ate lunch with Lydia and had afternoon classes with her. One of the best things about this was that it was just him and her - no one else to intrude their time together.

He felt like he had finally gotten what he had always wanted, since he was nine-years-old.

They were both studying in a roomy, empty classroom on the second floor, as Lydia didn't want to go in the Gryffindor common-room. She said it was too packed and noisy, but James knew it was because she didn't want to see Sirius. This didn't bother him. James felt it was a shame that Sirius didn't hang out with them anymore, but he was still okay with that. To be honest, James thought it was probably better this way.

It appeared Lydia was more keen on talking than studying, so that they both got very little done academically but a lot of conversation and feelings were cleared up. James had never realised how wonderful it was to talk to her, as he had never really done that before. He guessed that honour used to belong to Sirius.

It was a little past five o'clock when the pair of Italian-bred teens decided it was time to return back to their common-rooms respectively.

"Yeah, Ev - Lily might be wondering where I've gotten to," James said, stretching his arms, "She'll probably go mad off her nut. She's got a horrid temper. Nothing like you."

Lydia chuckled, looking pleased at his comment. When they reached the stairs they said goodbye and James set off for the Head tower, humming amicably. Not even the prospect of an ill-tempered Lily Evans demanding to know what had taken him so long could ruin his good mood.

On the contrary, when James walked in, it was to behold a dark and cold common-room with the fireplace blacked out. There was no sign of movement or warmth anywhere in the kitchen.

James was nonplussed. Where on earth _was_ she? She should be starting dinner by now. He was hungry.

He had never known how unpleasant it was when the fire was out. There was a striking chill in the room and it made him shiver. James muttered a spell and a fire crackled to life, but the lamps remain unlit. Hunched to keep himself warm, James drew the curtains shut then stood in front of the fireplace, his good mood starting to leak out the tiniest bit.

Of course, it was just like her to forget all about her duties and be entirely selfish. But then had she ever done this before? _No, she's always been here by this time. Where in the devil's name is she? _

When the room had brightened up and had accumulated its usual warmth, James shuffled to the kitchen and searched the cabinets. He was gnawing on a chocolate cupcake and staring into the fire when the redhead returned, not at all repentant.

"Where've you been?" James asked at once, cursing his mouthful of cake that made him sound muffled and foolish.

She glanced at him as if she had just noticed he was there.

"Oh," Lily shrugged, "I was just in the Great Hall, doing my work."

"For this whole time?"

"Yeah."

"I don't believe you," James said starchly.

"I don't care," she said with another shrug, walking past him.

"You're late, you know!" he snapped, getting to his feet. What was wrong with her now? She was sure giving him some attitude and he wasn't going to take it, though admittedly he was still taken-aback by her sudden devoid mood.

So it was a relief when she turned around with a glint in her eyes.

"Who says I'm late?" Lily retorted, "Since when did I have a time set, Potter? Or is this another one of those things you're forcing me to do?"

"Yeah, it is," James said loudly, as if daring her to challenge him, "So from now on, be back here on time and have dinner ready by six-thirty."

For a moment, he thought she was going to snap. Instead, Lily turned around and said airily, "Fine." She marched into her bedroom and didn't even slam her door.

James could only mutter, "Talk about mood swings..."

But that was really only the beginning. James kept an apprehensive and watchful eye on Lily over the next few days, in which she became increasingly distant and subdued.

There was none of that vivacity and spirit she usually displayed, whether it was positive and negative. Instead, she had become like some mechanical robot who submitted to her duties and talked to him, if she ever did, in a monotone.

All these things were noticed during the times in which James was in the Head tower, for whenever he was out of it he was usually with Lydia, whose company promptly drove out any thoughts or queries on Lily.

James' life had taken on a routine, in which he rotated between three areas: the first was Lydia. Sometimes they had morning classes together, but most of their time was spend during lunchtime and after classes. Evenings were out of the question, with essays and reports (as they never got them done during their study sessions in the afternoon) and the horrible human flaw of fatigue getting in their way.

James was always happy with Lydia. He forgot about everything else whenever they were in their classroom, in their own little world. James felt as though he had bonded with her much quicker in the past few days than in the past few years he had known her.

The second area was with his three good friends, the Marauders. It hadn't occured to James how little time he had spent with them until he was laughing at Sirius' antics, having serious conversations with Remus, and simply just watching Peter perform his favourite past time of eating.

The last part of his life was the Head tower, the place where he felt the worst. While he was in the Head tower, he was usually casting suspicious and wary looks at Lily, otherwise sitting on his couch and wondering if a spell had backfired on her.

Lily was rarely ever in the Head tower anymore, though she did always have dinner ready at the right time. James was beginning to notice her absence, both spiritually when she _was_ there, and the obvious physical when she wasn't. This concerned him greatly. Even in his good mood the worry didn't stop biting and gnawing at him. He found himself very aware of the loud silence that was always apparent when eating his meals with Lily. It was though her soul had left her body, or something equally philosophical.

James had never felt more uncomfortable in his life.

"Evans, make me a cup of tea."

"Evans, bake a cake for dessert."

"Evans, make ravioli tonight."

"Evans, wash the windows again."

"Clean my room."

"Iron my robes."

"Owl this letter."

"Tie my shoe."

So he took full advantage of when Lily _was_ around, and made a startling discovery that might have elated him before, but only frightened and distressed him now. Lily did _everything_ without a single word or argument. She didn't even show any emotion on her face, though James did catch one or two scowls (he hoped she would lash out at him, but was met with disappointment) when she was baking the unsuccessful cake, and the little twitch in her set jaw when he told her to tie his shoe.

He wondered if she was being like this outside of the Head tower, but didn't have much chance to observe. One, because he rarely saw her, and two, he usually forgot when he did.

Still, it wasn't a _huge_ problem for James. For most of the day he was content, and he only had to put up with Lily's strange behaviour for a few strained hours.

He comforted himself with the reassurance that Lily was _sure_ to return back to normal. And, he suddenly thought brightly, he may as well enjoy the quiet and peace.

On one such night a complacent Lily Evans climbed up the spiral staircase to the Head tower. She had just been finishing a report for Professor Flitwick in the library, and upon its completion, she now felt a deep sense of accomplishment. Humming tunelessly, Lily hitched her bag higher up her shoulder and jogged the last few steps.

Lily had, in fact, been acting normally outside of the tower. It was just as soon as she stepped inside, either to find a dark common-room or a slightly agitated (though he always tried to hide it) James on the couch, that she put on the stiff, silent barrier that seemed to permeate the entire tower. It was almost getting to be fun, though Lily was still highly affronted that James would forget such a promise.

A smile played across her lips and the redhead continued to hum. She gave the password to the portrait lady and entered the cold, silent, dark room. Lily thought nothing of it and, still humming, dumped her stuff on the coffee table before starting on dinner.

---

"Hey, Lyds, we better call it a day," James said reluctantly, checking his silver wristwatch.

"But we only just got started," the brunette beauty whined, her eyes scrunched up into a little frown. She looked round at the clock and sighed deeply when she saw the time.

James chuckled, "I told you we talk too much." He rolled his scrolls of parchment up.

Lydia also laughed, "That's only because I hardly get to see you any other time of the day," she said innocently, "And what's a friendship without communication?"

The black-haired boy just shook his head with a smile; she always said things like that.

"Anyway, what's the rush? You're always going back to L - to eat dinner at that tower. Stay out with me for once," Lydia continued, her voice hardening slightly.

"Well," James fidgeted with the cuff of his robe, "I can't eat in the Great Hall. It's against the rules."

Lydia bit her lip while James packed up his things. She let out a little sigh and said passively, "Fine. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

James looked up at her as she put away her quill, refusing to look at him. Looking troubled, he absently ran his hand through his hair and a wry smile spread across his handsome face as an idea came to him.

"How about you come over for dinner?"

Her brown eyes lit up as a curious but delighted expression formed on her face.

"You really mean that?" she asked him, almost appraisingly.

He smiled at her, "Course I do. Lily won't mind." He paused as he remembered how she had been recently, "Err - she's been a bit quiet, lately, but I'm sure she won't mind."

James' spirts suddenly sunk. He had forgotten about Lily and her sulky mood. He didn't want her to offend Lydia in any way, as she was the sensitive type, nor did he want Lily to embarrass him in front of her.

_Greatgreatgreat. Should've thought before I invited her over_, he thought glumly.

Lydia's brow was furrowed in disappointment.

"James," she said quietly, "Could we maybe eat somewhere else? How about the Astronomy Tower? It's beautiful there." She smiled at him, knowing he would agree with her.

Relief instantly settled in James' stomach as he saw an escape and he complied, "Sure. I'll just go and ask Lily to cook extra for you, alright? Come to think of it, she's probably too busy to eat with us, so it'll just be us two."

"Oh..." Lydia looked pleased but still said concernedly, "Are you sure she won't mind?"

"Yeah, she's a strange girl," James said dismissively, picking up his bag, "I'll meet you at the tower in half an hour, alright?" He was almost at the door.

"Alright," Lydia beamed and waved, and when he had gone she continued to smile.

James ran up the stairs two at a time, enthusiastic about that night's dinner. He was also glad he wouldn't have to suffer Lily's hostile company either. When he was almost at the common-room, he slowed down and put on a more resolute demeanor.

The first thing that hit his sensations was the delicious aroma that filled the room and his nostrils as he took a deep breath. In wonderment, James stepped in and put his bag on the floor, listening to the _cling_ and _clang_ of utensils being used in the kitchen.

Lily had her back to him at the stove, stirring a big pot of what smelt like curry chicken, a rare favourite of James'. Almost silently he rested his elbows on the counter and watched her cook.

She hadn't voluntarily cooked something so complicated in awhile; more precisely since they had "stopped speaking". The fact that she was made James relax slightly - sort of like a sign that she was beginning to forgive him.

Still looking at her motionlessly, Lily turned around, sucking on the spoon she had been stirring the curry with, and her green eyes widened with shock when she saw him there.

"Potter!" she squealed, jumping slightly. When James also started, looking a bit embarrassed at having been caught just sitting and staring, Lily put her hands to her hips and asked him, "What were you doing here so _quietly_?"

"I - I - " he stammered, wondering why on earth he was tripping over his own words. The fact that Lily was saying more than two words to him with more emotion than a doorknob was hitting him right between the eyes and causing him to act like a fool. It was as though he had forgotten how to act when she was being her usual, spirited self.

She continued to give him a hawk-like look, before whipping around to attend to her curry before it burnt, "If it's dinner you're waiting for, it'll be ready in about five minutes," she informed him, "So just sit around or something - but next time, make some _noise_ when you come in."

James was amazed. For days he had been dreading Lily's angsty attitude - almost _afraid_ of it - yet here she was now, talking cheerfully and telling him off as if nothing had happened.

He was dumbfounded.

But at the same time, rather relieved.

"Well, I see you're feeling better now," James said cautiously, still unsure of how to act.

The redhead turned around again, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, "What do you mean?" she asked him curiously, "Was I ever sick?" she added thoughtfully.

"You were sure acting like it!" James exclaimed at once, then said in a quieter voice when she threw him an enquiring look, "Oh, come on... you know... you've been - _weirdly quiet_. Subdued. Faraway... you know, _distant_..." he trailed off in a mutter, his hazel eyes looking resolutely at the marble counter.

Lily studied him carefully. She knew he'd been a bit bamboozled by her attitude, but she hadn't known it had bothered him _this_ much. The only reason she hadn't been keeping up with it today was because she didn't have the heart and energy to do it - but that hadn't meant she wasn't going straight back to it the next day.

"Well, I've been busy," the redhead said with a shrug, making it sound as though it were nothing, "Not much time to stick around and talk."

"But you always talk," James input in a puzzled voice.

Lily hid a smile as she turned back to her curry, "Not anymore, I suppose..." she said softly, but a part of her was reluctantly yet all the same glad that he had been bothered by her silent treatment towards him.

_I suppose he does count me more than just a "house-elf" to him..._

James, slightly exasperated and confused, sat at the counter for several more seconds. He stayed there until Lily turned around again, announcing that dinner was ready.

That was when he remembered Lydia.

"Oh, no - " James gasped, almost falling off his stool, "Hey - err - Evans, d'you mind if I don't have dinner here tonight?"

Lily, who had been checking on the rice, looked up with a frown, "Huh? But I just _cooked_ for you!"

"No, no - I'll still eat it. It's just I'll have it somewhere else - oh, and that reminds me, is there enough for a third person?" James explained in a rush, checking the clock.

Lily had an inkling who that "third person" might be, and her eyes narrowed. Her cheerfulness evaporating, she looked at the pot of chicken curry in front of her and mumbled uncommittedly, "There's plently."

"Okay, good," James said hastily, grabbing some containers from the cabinet and ladling the curry and rice into them in a rush, dripping some on the spotless counter in the process.

Taking out her wand, Lily did a complicated, sweeping movement with it and a startled James took a step back as the food neatly swooped into the containers by itself, none of it spilling anywhere. When they were full the plastic lids suddenly sprang to life and placed themselves securely on the containers with a sharp _tuck!_

"There," she said simply, in a stony and emotionless voice. James glanced at her, but her eyes didn't meet his' and a feeling of foreboding washed over him again.

"Err - thanks," he said awkwardly, rushing to get the food in a paper bag and putting in forks and spoons. Half-hoping for a wave from her, James mumbled a goodbye and another thanks before hurrying out of the common-room, almost tripping at the portrait hole.

Lily stayed rigid for a minute after he had left, before she dragged her eyes to the stove she had slaved at for almost an hour. Sighing heavily, she poured the rest of the curry into a dish and shut it up in the fridge before going into her bedroom.

---

"This is so _boring_," Rinoa groaned, chucking her quill down in frustration, "I should've left school after fifth-year. Jo was right, who _needs_ N.E.W.T's? Bloody waste of time if you ask me..."

"Does that mean you're quitting?" Sirius asked hopefully, his eyes slightly bloodshot from too many hours of straining them over books, "I'll leave with you!"

"You're _both_ staying," Remus cut in firmly, picking up Rinoa's quill and forcing her to take it, "Now come on. It's not that hard."

"No one said it was hard, it's just boring," she sighed resignedly.

"Hi, everyone!"

"Lily!" Rinoa shrieked in delight, jumping up and flinging her arms around the redhead, "You're here!"

Eyes twinkling, Lily sat down with the group, "Yeah. I just had Ancient Runes. Professor gave us _loads_ to do, so I thought I'd delay my chores back at the tower and just get some work done here first."

They all groaned in unison, making Lily cast them an odd look.

"C'mon, Lil, the first time you're here in _ages_ and you're gonna work?"

"There's just... no time to talk!" Lily exclaimed, rubbing her eyes tiredly, "I've got so much work to complete. I'll have a good, nice, long chat with you all afterwards."

"You do realise we'll keep having this much to do. So what you're basically saying is that you'll talk to us at the end of the year," Remus told her matter-of-factly.

She laughed, "See you after NEWTs, then."

"Aww c'mon. How are things between you and James?" Sirius wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Before Lily could answer or reprimand him, a little first-year boy approached them with what what was unmistakeably sheer terror.

"Wh - which one of you is Lily?" he literally squeaked, looking close to fainting when all five heads (including Peter) turned to look at him.

"I am," Lily said gently, smiling warmly at the boy. But when his eyes darted to her frantically he visibly gulped and quivered more violently. Smile faltering a little, Lily asked, "Er - is everything okay?"

"I have a message for you!" he exclaimed before he could lose his nerve, turning a brilliant shade of magenta, "It's - it's from Mr Potter!"

"_Mr_ Potter?" Sirius whispered, snickering.

"From Potter?" Lily repeated blankly, her mind suddenly freezing at the name, "What does he want?"

"I - I dunno," the boy stammered, looking as though he'd rather hug the Giant Squid than face these seventh-years, "He just wants you to get back to the Head tower - pronto."

"Pronto?" Sirius cracked up again. Rinoa elbowed him.

"The Head tower?" Lily frowned at the message, "Why does he want me to go back now?"

The first-year was unable to form a reply. He was staring at Sirius in mortal fear.

"Er - you can go now, if you want," Remus told him kindly. The boy tore his gaze towards him, swallowed and scarpered off without further ado.

"He was _not_ friendly," Rinoa remarked, "What's with firsties and their attitude? It stinks. And _we're_ the ones who have to study our butts off, while they go and play - " she waved her hand at a group of first-years sitting by them, " - _Gobstones_."

"Ah, I love that game," Sirius said reminiscently, having emerged out of his laughing fit, "Those days, sitting by the warm fire, having stones blow up in my face... So anyway, Lily. What did _Mr Potter_ want from you?" Peter snickered this time.

"I have no idea," Lily said fretfully, "I suppose I better go back, though. It might be something important," she sighed deeply, "I'll see you guys later."

Her friends watched in a solemn silence as she got up and left the common-room.

"This is awful!" Rinoa exclaimed as soon as Lily was out of sight, turning to the boys at once, "That poor girl is going to go into consumption if she keeps up with this. We _have_ to do something."

"She's bound by a contract. There's not much we _can_ do," input Remus.

"Well, we gotta let her have some fun," Rinoa insisted, "C'mon, guys. Think!" She glared at the three boys sitting with her and they immediately sat up straighter.

"We're thinking!"

And while the boys brainstormed, Lily made her way back to the dreaded tower with a heavy step. James had never made her return to the common-room before; he always liked the prospect of telling her off when she came back "late". So what on earth could possibly be the matter?

With a short sigh, Lily turned to the spiral staircase that led up to the tower and began to trudge up it. She had so many things to do and no idea where her priorities stood. She felt like the weight of the world had settled on her shoulders and was now using all its might to push her to the ground, but she would _not_ fall over. No, she would stand strong and throw each worry off, one by one.

Worry number one had been replaced with what James wanted with her.

_James._ Lily pressed her lips together into a thin line as she climbed the last few stairs. The egotistical prince had been happy recently, an emotion she thought he was immune to, or at least couldn't bear to express. But alas, she had been wrong, for James had been so exhilirated and ethereal he had even stopped being critical about her cooking. Lily supposed she was grateful for this, but at the same time couldn't help but feel strangely downhearted of the reason for it.

Which, of course, was in the form of Lydia. Personally, Lily didn't see much about her that was worth being so exuberant about. She was always so fragile and _perfect _and spoke in such a delicate manner that Rinoa herself concluded she must be one very boring, very wishy-washy, made-out-of-porcelain China doll.

But James was happy about her and that was that. Lily tried to discard her previous feelings of discomfort about this; it was _James_. Why did she even care?

_I don't care_, she told herself as she finally walked into the last corridor where the portrait hung, _It's just his actions that riled me up. He forgot about getting my chocolate, for Merlins' sake! It has nothing to do with Lydia or his being with her. It's just irresponsible and plain rude of him to completely forget about our promise. I mean, what are people going to think of him if he keeps breaking promises when he's an adult? He needs to be taught a lesson. After all, no one likes to be forgotten about. Certainly not in that fashion._

Lily stopped in mid-step, looking forlorn. Groaning, she realised she was _still_ fretting about that stupid promise. She supposed she would have forgiven him now if he hadn't just ran off the other night to eat her _hard laboured_ dinner with that little fairy of a girl.

_Stop it, Evans! Why are you so pessimistic about Lydia? What's wrong with that girl? She's never done anything to you._

Lily groaned again, running a hand done her face. She was going mad. She had to be. She was never this judgmental about someone she'd never spoken to before.

"There you are!" James exclaimed as soon as the redhead stepped into the cream-interior of the living room.

"What's the matter?" the redhead asked at once, dumping her bookbag on the ground and glancing around the place to spot something disastrous. When she found none, Lily put her hands to her hips and said pointedly, "What's going on?"

James blinked at her. In honest truth, he'd once again found himself wondering where in Merlin's beard she was and growing increasingly frustrated the more he tried to concentrate on giant wars. She'd been _talking_ to him, hadn't she? She'd been _cheerful_ and _oh-so-bright_ that night, so why on earth was she back to being an emotionless and dull doorknob?

He'd struggled to remember the look on her face the night before - when he asked her if there was enough dinner for a third person. Something about that look bothered him and struck him as something important to notice. And for the life of him he could not figure it out, but he did know whatever it was was making Lily act like a doormat again.

"Well I - I - I'm hungry," James pierced together indignantly, wavering under her fierce stare, "And there's nothing in the cupboards."

Well, that much was true.

"There's bread," Lily stated bluntly, not budging. Inside, she felt like screaming at him. So there hadn't been anything important after all. He'd called her up for nothing. She should have known.

It was such an unexpected reply that James said rather sharply, "I don't eat that revolting rubbish, _remember_?"

Lily gritted her teeth in annoyance, but forced herself to stay calm. The less fuss made, the less time wasted. (_And the less communicating I have to do with this ignoramus.)_ Taking several deep breaths, Lily folded her arms and stared right at him.

"So, what do you want me to do?"

James lifted both eyebrows, feeling the familiar, dominating energy running through him, "Can't you figure it out yourself?" He made a spur-of-the-moment decision to annoy her as much as possible, "Or is the little house-elf still too thick to work things out by herself?"

"I'll go buy some food then," Lily growled, fighting the urge to scream into that cocky and stuck-up face of his, "I'll be going now if there isn't anything else you'd like me to do."

"Actually, if you could pick up my quill here, it's fallen down - "

She slammed the portrait door shut. James let out a little sigh of both satisfaction and disappointment. He'd almost made her crack. Honestly, James still hadn't the faintest idea why he wanted her to. It wasn't like he enjoyed being yelled at. It was just... he shook his head to clear it. Lily being so quiet was just too _abnormal_ for his liking. It was like being in the company of something highly unnatural, so that he always felt nervous and cautious. It simply wasn't comfortable living like that!

He righted himself on the couch and stared down at his Quidditch book, which he was making notes out of. James paused his quill and thought for a moment. He thought he could rile Lily up purely by making her do lots and lots of chores - he'd forgotten he had to toss a few insults in there as well.

James smiled, feeling as though everything was settled. He would do just that, and with any luck she'd blow up and the eye of the storm would be over. It was be normal after that.

Or so he hoped.

"Right," he muttered to himself, pulling out a fresh piece of parchment and scratching his head, "First of all, make a list of insults about her hair colour..."

---

Lily forced her eyelids to stay up and from closing over her eyes, but it was almost impossible. Her eyes would just water and in the end she'd close them for much longer than originally attended. After this, she usually gave a long, wide and involuntary yawn. To most people, this would be the cue to go to bed.

But she had an essay to finish and she still had a further couple of inches to go, even though she knew she'd written most of the textbook out already.

The fire was still crackling merrily, breaking the sleepy silence in the living room. The clock on the mantelpiece showed that it was well past midnight, but the two Heads of Hogwarts were still up, as the rest of the seventh-years undoubtedly also were, struggling to complete a major assignment that had been set two weeks ago.

Lily yawned again, rubbing her eyes wearily.

On the other side of the room, James gave her an annoyed look.

"Don't yawn so loudly. You're distracting me."

Lily scowled but said nothing. Instead, she dragged her eyes back to the blaringly white parchment and with a tired hand she picked up her quill again.

It was almost half an hour later when Lily finally finished her essay. With another wide yawn that made James glare at her, and a sigh of relief, Lily began to roll up her scrolls of parchment, stretching contentedly as she did so.

James eyed her closely, pretending to do his own. On the contrary, he was nowhere near finished and he knew he'd have to confide in Remus the next morning for help. Even so, he wasn't happy that Lily had finished before him, even if it was inevitable.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Lily stopped and drew in a breath. She had almost reached her bedroom door, and the tone of his voice did not bode well. Turning around slowly, she lifted her tired eyes to him expectantly.

"Bed."

"Not yet," James said stoicly. He jerked his head towards the kitchen counter, "There's a shopping list there. Go get it tonight."

Lily did not budge, feeling herself stiffen at his words.

"_Now_?"

"Yup."

Lily stared at him in disbelief, but he continued on his work as though his whole soul was absorbed in it. She bit her lip, refraining herself from retorting at him. He just had to make life difficult for her, didn't he?

Obediently, Lily retrieved the shopping list and left the common room, much to the amazement of James. He had been sure she was going to flat out refuse.

_Merlin... when is she going to give in?_

It was awfully cold out in the stone corridors after the marshmallow warmth of the common-room. Shivering, Lily pulled her robes around herself tighter and kept her hands inside them.

"_HeeheeHEE_!"

The shrill giggle of the pear when Lily tickled it made her jump slightly, and she looked behind her edgily in case anyone else had been disturbed by it.

"Could you laugh a little quieter next time?" she murmured as she pushed the portrait open.

"Well, missy, maybe _you_ could try not tickling me so hard!" the pear squealed back rudely, making Lily jump again and cast it a wary look.

The kitchen was comfortingly warm and stuffy, overtaking her senses and causing her to become even more drowsy. Barely able to remember why she was even there, Lily went to the shopping section and sleepily pulled things off the shelves and into her basket.

"Pears..." she mumbled absently, checking the list with drooping eyes, "...Pears? The painting... giggling..." Lily shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, but it proved to be quite a feat.

"Miss Lily?" came a tentative, squeaky voice.

_Is that... the pear?_

Lily blinked, forcing her eyes open. She could not see anyone at first, then she peered down and found two house-elves looking back up at her.

"Oh... hello there," she said with as much energy as she could. Lily yawned again, setting the basket down on the table as she did so, "Aren't you guys asleep yet? Don't tell me you stay up all night."

The house-elves tittered and Lily smiled at their pixie-like laughter. Her eyes watered as she yawned for the umpteenth time, and she half-consciously slumped into the seat and supported her chin with her elbow. Seconds later, her arms were crossed and her head was lying in them.

_I'll just rest... for a minute..._

---

Charlie approached the portrait of the painted fruit, noticing as he did so that the pear was snoring slightly. Reaching out and scratching it gently with his fingertips, the pear gave a loud squawk.

"I won't have this, I tell you, ignorant students prodding and poking me wherever and whenever they please - I WON'T HAVE IT!" it shrilled furiously as Charlie, chortling after his initial shock, walked into the kitchens.

It was late, past two o'clock in the morning, but he was in need of a good, sugar-filled snack. He and what he was sure was the rest of the seventh-year had spent their day trying to finish their major essays, many of them skipping sordid things such as _eating_ in order to maximise their working time.

He walked in to find someone sitting at the table, their head in their arms and themself apparently sound asleep. Their vibrant red hair stood out brilliantly in the kitchen, and Charlie tiptoed closer.

A smile spread across his face at this endearing image of Lily, and Charlie quietly asked the house-elves for a couple of Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties.

When the little, submissive creatures handed him a brown paper bag and he thanked them, Charlie went and sat next to Lily, looking at her as she slept. What was she doing here at this hour, anyway? Shouldn't she be asleep in her dorm?

The smile slid off his face as he continued to watch her. Even while she was asleep she looked troubled and unhappy, as if many things were happening in her life. Charlie gazed at her for awhile, wishing he was able to take away her pain. She was such a sweet person with a cheerful, optimistic approach to life. She didn't deserve whatever was happening to her.

He suddenly came to his senses as he glanced at his watch. He looked at Lily again, her slumbering form displaying her vulnerability. She couldn't stay here all night... could she?

Charlie reached out towards her hesitantly, unsure of what he was doing. She was _engaged,_ after all.

_I'm just being a friend, _he reasoned with himself, though his heart was beating much quicker than usual, _I'll just wake her up. Make sure she gets back alright._

He shook her gently on the arm, calling her name softly. Lily stirred and turned her head, mumbling something incoherent. Charlie smiled weakly, shaking her again.

Her eyes, heavy with sleep, slowly opened and she frowned a little.

"Charlie?"

"Hey, Lil," he said quietly with a gentle smile, "Do you want to go back to your room, maybe?"

She gave a little moan and buried her face in her arms.

Charlie took that as a no.

"You can't stay here," he told her without much gusto, "It'll get cold."

He got no reply. Closer inspection showed that she had gone back to sleep.

Charlie smiled indulgently, though a pit of sadness seemed to have descended on him. He wondered why she was here in the first place, and why she would even come if she was this tired.

_Lily... what's the matter?_ he thought sadly as he looked at her sleep, _Something's hurting you._

Within minutes Lily was shivering a bit, and Charlie sighed. She refused to go back up, but she couldn't stay here either. Finally, Charlie came to a decision and he stood up. Crouching down beside her, he pulled her arms over his shoulders and supported her legs.

Surprisingly, she didn't wake, but laid her head on his shoulder and continued to sleep.

It was a little odd to be wandering around Hogwarts at three in the morning, piggy-backing a slumbering girl, but it wasn't an unwelcome or bad feeling. Maybe one day... when he found the right girl... he'd do the same with her.

The thought made him feel both downhearted and amused at himself.

When he was climbing the stairs up to the Head tower, he felt Lily's head being lifted up from his shoulder, that spot suddenly becoming cold. He heard her groan softly and her arms tightened around him slightly.

"Charlie?" he heard her mumble, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey," he said softly, "Woken up now?"

"Kind of..." Lily still felt deliriously sleepy, but she forced herself to stay awake, "What... where...?"

"We're almost at the Head tower," Charlie answered for her, glad that she wasn't freaked out that he was carrying her or demanding that he put her down. Rather, she buried her head back down in his shoulder, as if leaning on him for support.

"You don't have to carry me, you know," Lily murmured, somewhat abashed, "Aren't I heavy?"

Charlie chuckled as they neared the portrait of the dainty lady, "No you're not. We're almost there, anyway."

He set her down carefully on the stone floor and made sure she could stand up by herself, but that proved unnecessary as she was more awake now.

"Thanks, Charlie," she said a bit embarrassedly, but sincerely. She smiled up at him, still blushing a little, in an almost guilty manner, "Sorry that you had to carry me... I was just really tired."

He laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, "It's alright, Lily, honestly. It's no big deal."

"But now you've wasted about half an hour getting me back up here, not to mention almost broke your back in the process..." the redhead said seriously, her eyes glimmering with humour.

Charlie laughed again, feeling himself growing attached to her expressive green eyes. Forcing himself to look away, he said, "You should get some sleep. Some proper sleep."

"Alright, I will," Lily said agreeably, grinning like an appraising child, "But only if you promise you'll go see your chiropractor."

"Good night Lily," Charlie said with the air of finality, grinning and shaking his head.

"Night, Charlie."

Feeling a bit more refreshed, Lily waved until Charlie disappeared down the stairs and she gave the password to the portrait. She walked in and was glad to find the fire still going before turning slightly to shut the portrait. She took another step when she was greeted by a loud, pointed voice.

"Where have you been?"

Lily jumped when she saw James, still sitting at his spot on the couch where she had left him hours ago. Slightly shocked, Lily exclaimed disbelievingly, "You're still up?"

"Answer my question," James snapped, looking angrier than Lily had seen him in awhile, "Where have you _been_ for the past couple of hours?"

"At the kitchens, where you sent me," Lily replied, slightly disorientated, "What - what are you so angry for?"

"My foot you've been down at the kitchens!" James almost shouted, jumping to his feet, "It does not take three hours to buy a couple of items - which, by the way, you don't have with you anyway!"

Lily glanced down and realised she must have left the bag in the kitchens. But she did not care much about the groceries at the moment - James' foul mood was starting to rub off on her.

"So I forgot them, big deal! I'm going to bed now," she muttered.

"NOT YET!" James growled, cutting across and blocking her way. Lily tried to push him out of the way, but to no avail.

"What's the matter with you?" she cried at him exasperatedly, nearing the end of her tether, "You're acting like a little kid!"

"Oh, _I'm_ acting like a little kid? What about you, not even saying a word to my face for a whole week!" James yelled back at her, "Only children do that, Evans."

"I just didn't want to talk to a jerk like you!" Lily snapped, her fatigue vanishing as she grew more angry, "And why do you care, anyway? I'm only here to do your stupid housework for you! From making your crummy bread to _tying your shoe lace_!"

"How do you suppose it makes me feel?" James asked furiously, "It's not _normal_ for you to be acting that way! It's like - it's like I did something wrong, but you won't even tell me, like the brat you are!"

"You _did_ do something wrong," Lily said sharply before she could stop herself.

"And what, what was it?" he demanded angrily, "Finally going to voice yourself, are you?"

Lily hesitated for a split second, then looked at him square in the eye with her infamous determined glint, "Yeah, I am!" she shouted up at him proudly, "You forgot the promise we made and ran off with Lydia when you were supposed to get chocolate for me!"

James gaped at her, "Is that _it_?"

Almost letting off steam in her indignation, Lily cried shrilly, "_Is that it?_ When you make a promise, you stick to it and keep it! You don't let the other person down. You don't make them wait!"

"Well, I guess we're even then," James said simply, "You made me wait tonight. But I still want to know where in Merlin's beard you were, and tell me the truth."

"I WAS DOWN AT THE KITCHENS!" Lily exploded.

"Don't lie. You were gone for three hours."

"I fell asleep, you prat!" she was screaming at him now, her cheeks flushed and her eyes alight with passion and fury, "Then Charlie found me and took me back up. And I don't care if you don't believe me! James Potter, you are the _worst_ person I've ever met!" now that she was yelling, all ill-ridden feelings and thoughts of the past week were pouring out, "You order me around as if I'm not even human, you insult me and everything I do, no matter how hard I try. You push me around and call me names and you act as though everything has to be about you! I _hate_ it here!"

Apparently, only a line from that registered in James' head.

"_Charlie_ found you?" he repeated incredulously, "And he brought you back up?"

"ARGH!" Lily screeched, turning away from him as to refrain herself from hitting him.

"You have to be careful who you hang around with," James said in a low, steely voice, "People think we're engaged. If you breach the contract - "

For some reason, those words blinded Lily with rage. They were so _irrelevant_ and oh-so hypocritical coming from him that she whirled around and jabbed him harshly in the chest.

"Right, mister, you think _I_ might breach the contract? What about you, parading around and on the verge of snogging your little fairy princess, Lydia?" A sudden rush of dislike flooded her chest at the mention of her name, but Lily surpressed it.

James narrowed his eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"Do you know what the two of you look like to everyone else? A lot more than the both of us could ever!" she yelled, and for a moment James wondered what she meant, "If your secret gets ruined then it'd be your own fault! Don't blame me - you can do that about everything else - breakfast - the laundry - breaking the china - but _this_ would be your own stupid doing, and for once you're gonna take the responsibility for it!"

Lily was breathing heavily, her eyes still fixed on James in a combination of anger and indignation. He was glowering back at her. They both looked like they could kill each other.

"Right," James forced out, now absolutely furious, "You - you said before that you hate it here. Why don't you pack your bags and leave then?" his voice rose with every word, "Do you think I enjoy _your _company? You're flighty, unpredictable and have the temper of a bloody dragon! Do you have any idea how uncomfortable it is to be within a ten foot radius near you? If this place wasn't mine, I'd leave!"

"No need to!" Lily shouted back in a strangely triumphant voice, "_I'll_ be going. And if I ever come back here, I really am thick!"

"Good, leave, don't come back!" James thundered as she marched toward her bedroom door, and it was a miracle the whole castle hadn't woken up yet, "It'd be a better place without you!"

Lily slammed her door shut, her mind boggling with rage. Directed by her fury, she wrenched open her trunk and began to throw things in. Clothes, books, quills, parchment, robes, photographs... however much would fit. She slammed the lid shut, grabbed her wand and stomped back out into the living room, her anger overtaking her common sense.

"Got everything?" James said patronisingly as she dragged her trunk to the portrait hole, "Whatever I find of yours, I'll throw out."

"Go ahead," Lily snorted, "Good riddance, jerk!"

She slammed the portrait door after her with such force that the lamps flickered, threatening to be snuffed out. James, his body seething with rage, collapsed onto the couch and muttered ruthlessly, "Thank Merlin she's gone."

---

_I need somewhere to sleep, eat, live... I need somewhere to sleep, eat, live... I need somewhere to sleep, eat, live..._

The shiny wooden door with the brass handle miraculously appeared on the previously blank wall as she knew it would, and she seized it and pulled it open before disappearing in the room with trunk and wand.

Lily did not take notice of the kitchen appliances she would need as she tossed her wand on the queen-sized mattress in the middle of the floor and collapsed onto it face down. She did not care about much at that moment. She was just glad she had been able to leave that terrible Head tower and away from James Potter _finally_.

The argument replayed in her aching head and a surge of anger rose up in her again, which was followed by deep satisfaction as she recalled what she had said - yelled - to him.

_Serves him right_, she thought savagely, turning on her side and closing her eyes. She suddenly felt tired and drained again. _He needed to know the one-hundred-and-one things that are wrong with him. We'd both have gone mad otherwise._

Within seconds she was asleep.

---

"Did you know Lily Evans and James Potter had a fight?"

"Oh, yeah! Apparently it was over a disagreement about chocolate..."

Rinoa rolled her eyes as the chattering fourth-years walked past them, talking excitably about what had become a very repeated topic for her and the Marauders.

"As if they would argue about chocolate," Rinoa said matter-of-factly as they started their evening meal, Sirius tearing into his steak and potatoes with over-enthusiasm. Peter was hot on his heels.

"Actually, I think that was part of the problem," Remus interjected, "At least, that's what James mumbled out."

"That boy is such a prat," Rinoa said indignantly, "I'm right behind Lily, all the way! I'm so glad she's finally 'moved out' and away from him."

"Technically, that's a breach of their first contract, since Lily is supposed to do everything James says - including his laundry and cooking," Sirius managed to say in between mouthfuls.

"Yeah," Rinoa said as though this was the most obvious thing in the world, "But he _was_ the one who told her to leave, and Lily did wise to listen to him - for once."

"How _is_ Lily?" Remus asked, reaching for the butter.

"Happier than I've seen her in awhile!" Rinoa said brightly, ladling soup in her bowl, "And I actually get to see my best friend more often now. The place she's got is real cosy."

"The Room of Requirement, right?"

"Yeah. How's _James_?" her voice went a little offhand.

The three Marauders exchanged dark looks of amusement.

"I swear his eyebrows were singed," Sirius said with a straight face.

"He says the food's been loads better lately," Remus said with a chortle, "But I highly doubt it. If he's the one cooking it, I mean, honestly... remember when we baked that cake in second year?"

"Terrible," Peter input, shaking his head.

"So they're both alright, then," Rinoa concluded, "Better off without each other."

For some reason, nobody had anything to say to that - neither agreement nor disagreement, because honestly, they weren't so sure on Rinoa's statement themselves.

"Maybe for Lily," Sirius finally said, "But as for James... let's just hope he doesn't die of malnutrition."

---

"Continue to add one cup of stock... allow to simmer for one minute... Simmer?"

James glared at the recipe book his sister had sent him, trying to make sense of the instructions and becoming frustrated when he didn't get it. He checked the time, groaned and threw down the book.

He'd woken up the first morning after he had kicked Lily out (that was his version of the tale) to be savagely happy and glad that she was gone. A feeling slightly dented when he discovered he'd woken up too late to have breakfast, which was something he couldn't cook up to the expected standards he had set on Lily.

Still, that was no matter. It was just breakfast.

"Yeah... and now it's the same for dinner too," James grumbled as he buttoned up his shirt. He checked his reflection in the mirror before putting on his robes and grabbing his book bag. It was going to be another long day.

By the time he reached the third floor the corridors were flooded with students on their way to class, having finished breakfast in the Great Hall already. James weaved through the students quickly with his head down so that he was long gone by the time anyone recognised him to be that famous Italian boy. He was moving so fast that he couldn't stop himself in time when somebody darted out suddenly from the crowd.

Cursing, James tried to move forward and stop simultaneously, so that the person walked into him and, since he was stooped a little, their heads banged. James felt his bag slide off his shoulder and land hard on the ground.

"OUCH!"

"Great Merlin..." James groaned, his eyes shut as the pain seared through him like a bullet, and he said before he could stop himself, "You have a hard head."

"I'm sorry," a girl's voice apologised as she bent down to pick up his fallen bag, "I didn't see you."

James opened his eyes as the girl drew up her head and they both stared at each other for a split second. Then a look of dislike transformed her face and she immediately dropped his bag again so that it landed heavily on his toes.

"Oh. It's you."

Without another word Lily turned around and walked off as if nothing had happened, while James clenched his teeth at the pain in his crushed toes.

"A couple of days and she's getting even worse," he muttered distastefully to himself, picking up his bag. However, he felt a little strange after that run-in with her. Sure, James had seen her in classes and always scowled whenever he did, but that feeling didn't come today, and she had just _run into _him.

Instead, a different, strange awareness was creeping up on him, and James pushed it away uncomfortably. He didn't like the unfamiliarity of it.

The morning passed by fairly normally; he had his first class with Remus, then his second class with Lydia. At lunch, however, when he was seated at the table with his good friends, he was bothered by the fact that Lily stood out vividly against the crowd of hundreds of other students.

Why did she have to have such distinguishable hair?

James grimaced and stared at his lunch resolutely. He was not going to keep looking at her. That was just plain _weird_.

Unfortunately for him, his afternoon classes were all with her, so that he spent a further few hours not concentrating and paying attention to his professors.

_What's the matter with me? She runs into me and I go all mental?_

For the next two days James struggled with the incomprehensible feeling, which, added to his inability to cook himself a decent meal, made him more moody and grouchy than ever. Even Lydia failed to put him in a better mood.

It also did not help that, whenever he saw her, Lily looked lively and animated, as if leaving was the best thing she'd ever done.

_Which it is,_ James told himself firmly whenever this dangerous thought occurred.

They pretended the other was invisible or part of the architecture whenever they met in the hallway or their friends sat together to chat. This was avoided at all costs, as whenever the Marauders and Rinoa came together, both James and Lily would not say a word to anyone and the aura issuing from both of them was unbearable for both parties.

He was sitting in the lonesome and terribly messy common-room, where the fire burned cheerfully. James shifted a bit and the shuffling noise he made seemed much louder than it actually was. He glanced around apprehensively, suddenly aware that he was in here by himself. The Head tower seemed so dark and empty and quiet these days. It was disconcerting, as if lacking life.

James cleared his throat, hoping this would also clear his confused state of mind.

As he sat there, his thoughts began to wander... and much to his chagrin, they wandered over to Lily. He was met with that most peculiar sensation again, instead of the welcomed ill-ridden anger that usually accompanied thoughts on her.

James decided to let himself think. _It might clear up a few things..._

He began to wonder why he'd felt so awkward when Lily was acting like a robot. He'd longed for her to be obedient and non-argumentative. And when she was, he had the prickling realisation that it was weird and uncomfortable and so completely _unnatural_. He convinced himself that it was because of the tense atmosphere that he wanted her back to normal. It was definitely not because he liked Lily much better the way she was.

_Or maybe it is..._

James immediately scowled, for if anything, he absolutely detested Lily Evans' personality. So upbeat and spirited and at the same time, flighty and quick-tempered. He never knew how to handle her.

And how dare she accuse him of almost breaching the contract! Lydia was a better friend than that Charlie pretty boy could ever be to Lily, and James had known her for _years_ - he had the right to hang around with her!

He sat there, savouring the satisfaction as he fumed over the argument they had had. So he was the worst person she'd ever met - he treated her badly and stepped all over her - yeah, he knew she thought all that.

_So what if it's true?_

James actually froze as this question came to his mind. It had never even cropped up, and he was an inch away from dismissing it as codswallop when he made the mistake of thinking over everything he'd ever done to her.

He closed his eyes, almost cringing as images of pimples, improper books and burning pieces of parchment came to mind.

_Alright... so maybe... but she's deserved it! For that bloody Boggart..._

James furrowed his eyebrows together as he wondered whether this was even rational.

_Wait... don't tell me I actually feel bad for her. _

He continued to sit there as the biting feeling flooded him - the feeling of guilt, shame and embarrassment. He made up his mind that he might just treat her better when she came back - if she ever did.

So James Potter filled his growling stomach with the rather unsatisfying cheese sandwich and went to bed weighed down by the heavy and gut-pricking feeling.

The next day passed by painfully slow. He had set his alarm to wake up earlier to make breakfast, but somehow slept right through the ringing racket and woke up just in time for his early morning class.

He was in a bad mood by the time it was lunch, where he bolted down an enormous meal. Luckily for him, he had the afternoon off, so he decided to dedicate the time to cooking a good, square meal.

He was extremely grateful when Sirius volunteered to help him, as he could do with the company. The two boys trudged up the many stairs to the Head tower, talking about whatever popped in their minds.

"Wow," Sirius said in a mildly awed voice as James pushed open the portrait, "It's... homey. And incredibly disorganized, Mr Potter, what _have_ you been doing?"

James gave a half-shrug, "Don't have the time to clean up. You have no idea how much work it is."

"No. But I betcha Lily does," Sirius said with a wink. James scowled, as he had began to wonder himself how Lily managed to do all her homework and household chores at once.

They set to work on the recipe, punctured and interrupted numerous times as Sirius complained and wondered out loud why they had to cook something so complicated.

"What's next?"

"Add four cups of cheese."

"Four cups of cheese. _Four cups_ of cheese? _What_ in the name of Merlin eats that much?"

"I don't know, Sirius. Add four cups of cheese."

"Are you sure we need _four_ cups?"

"_Yes_." Irritably.

"...Lemme see that." _Grab_.

"NO! _My_ recipe!"

"C'mon Prongs, be a mate... GIVE ME THE RECIPE!"

"NOOOOOO!"

"Look, a distraction!"

"...You idiot."

"...GIVEITTOMEYOUANTELOPE!"

"ARGH!"

_Crash_.

It was an hour later when the boys finally shut the pasta bake in the oven, covered in tomato sauce and cheese and for some reason patches of flour. They'd paused in the middle of the making to chuck food at each other to amuse themselves.

While it cooked they washed up, Sirius insisting that James do it all as he needed to "learn".

"You rinse."

"But you see, Prongs, I _know_ how to rinse. Do you?"

"I bloody well know how to rinse the dishes, now help me rinse them!" James exclaimed without thinking.

Sirius snickered. James groaned.

Other than that, they got through the washing deftly enough and James felt his stomach rumble violently. He smiled peacefully as a disgruntled Sirius wiped the counter, hardly able to wait for his pasta bake to be ready. He was starving.

"So, Prongs," Sirius said casually as he moved forward to dry the cutlery, "You and Miss Evans. Still determinedly ignoring each other?"

"Yeah," James said forcefully, not wanting to talk about Lily.

Sirius sighed, "I've never seen you at odds with someone so much before."

"Well, you try living with her," James retorted, "She's impossible."

"She's sweet," Sirius said indignantly, "Lily's a great person, mate. I dunno why you two hate each other so much. Alright, so maybe I can understand her point of view..." he said fairly, and grinned when James glared at him, "I'm just taking the mickey. But honestly, she's a friendly girl. I reckon if you two had started on better terms, you'd get along with her pretty well. She's not that much different from Lydia, you know."

James didn't say anything. Personally, he thought Lydia and Lily were two polar opposites when it came to personality, but then again, everyone always said Lily was a sweet girl. She was just sweet in a different way. And in all honesty, he also believed he and she would be on better terms if they hadn't met... the way they did.

Sirius took James' speechlessness as a good sign and resolved to say nothing more on that matter. He put down the last fork and was about to suggest they check on the pasta bake when a funny expression crossed his face.

"Say... do you smell that?"

James came out of his slight reverie, and sniffed the air. He frowned as he looked at Sirius questioningly, "Yeah... it smells like..."

"SMOKE!" Sirius yelped, and leapt forward to the stove where their hardworked dinner was baking in the oven. He checked the little dials on the stove and his eyes nearly popped out, "Holy whack, James! You turned it all the way up to the extreme!"

"I - I - I have no idea how to work that thing!" James said desperately, running forward.

Their pasta bake was on fire and both boys yelled and ran into each other in their haste to put it out. When they finally did, they both stood back, coughing slightly, and looked dismally at the black remains of their creation.

"Well," Sirius said slowly, "This is a bummer."

James was looking at the burnt food with a stony expression. The cogs in his head were turning at an alarming rate as he stared at his failed attempt to cook.

"That's it," he said suddenly, whirling around and catching Sirius by surprise.

"What's it?" Sirius asked tentatively, unsure on whether he wanted to know as his best friend marched to the portrait hole, "Hey - where are you going?"

James paused by the door, his face set determinedly and rigidly, like a man ready to fight.

"Isn't it obvious? To get my house-elf back!"

Sirius grinned to himself when James had gone. He turned and looked at the burnt pasta and told it smoothly, "You've done a good job."

---

Lily sat in the comfort of the Room of Requirement, gazing dreamily into space as she worked on developing the plot of her story. She always loved a chance to write something creative, not just essays on endless facts.

_Thump, thump, thump_.

She looked up in surprise as someone banged on the heavy wooden door. Only Rinoa visited, and she didn't bother to knock. Perplexed, Lily stayed seated and hoped that whoever had stumbled across her room would go away.

_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP_.

As she tried to concentrate, the thumping grew more frequent and loud. Lily let out an exasperated breath and went towards the door. She hesitated as the thumping ceased as she approached it. A second later, she seized the handle and pulled it towards her quickly.

"ARGH!"

"Oh my goodness - !"

A heavy body, who seemed to be leaning against the door outside, came hurtling in at her sudden opening of the door, colliding into her and knocking her flat on the ground.

Lily leapt to her feet, her cheeks flushed as she looked down at the figure on the floor.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she wanted to know, folding her arms across her chest.

An embarrassed James also got to his feet with as much grace as he could muster, rumpling up the back of his head, "I - I - you know, you should really open the door slower next time."

Lily tapped her foot impatiently. She'd had a stress-free week without any contact with James (save when he ran into her) and was not at all impressed at seeing him here now.

Noticing her thinning patience, James took a deep breath and said in one breath, "ComebacktotheHeadtower."

"Huh?"

He looked away, growing redder by the second, and cursed himself for being so... _sensitive_.

"Come back," he said in a painfully, constrained slow way, "To the Head tower. Please."

Lily's eyebrows almost disappeared into her red hair. Overcoming her initial surprise, she stood her ground firmer and demanded, "Why should I?"

James was momentarily stumped, wavering slightly underneath her glowering gaze. He'd never found her this intimidating. He took another deep breath and pierced together, "Because... you... you're... you're under a contract! You _have_ to come and cook and clean for me!"

It was the first thing that popped into his mind, and probably the worst thing to say too. Lily did not look happy. She put a hand on the door and said vehemently, "Right. Is that it?"

"The tower's really messy without you!" James cried pleadingly, taking a step back, "Not only that... it feels empty."

Lily looked surprised again, though this time it was a more soft look. Taking her hand off the door, she cocked her head to one side and said, "Really?"

Feeling a slice more hopeful, James tried to think of more nice things to say, but was met with blank nothingness.

"You... I... you can't live here forever. It's against the rules. What d'you reckon McGonagall will say if she finds out?"

"I'll tell her you were being an unbearable prat and had to leave before I lost my mind," Lily said coolly.

James cringed slightly.

"Alright, fine... but you have to come back. People have already begun to talk. It's _strange_ to them that we're having a fight. What if it leaks out to the press?"

Lily's eyebrows knitted together again, "This is about the contract again, isn't it?" She put a hand on the door and began to shut it, "Sorry, Potter, I prefer it here by far."

The door was almost closed when James yelled desperately, "I'll pay you!"

_Silence_.

She opened the door out wide again, staring at him in disbelief.

"_What_?"

"I'll - I'll pay you," James repeated in a mumble, taken-aback himself, "You know... for everything you do for me. Please, Evans," he looked at her with sincere hazel eyes, "I can't...cook anything... we almost set the tower on fire today... and the room's a pigsty... and I know you're really busy, but can you at least just come back first? The tower's really dark... and hollow... when you're not there."

He did not meet her eyes anymore; rather, they stayed transfixed on the ground like a little boy admitting to having a snack right before dinner time.

Lily stared at him, blinking in bewilderment. Had he really just said that the tower felt dark and hollow when she wasn't around? Did he really value her company that much, that he was willing to _pay_ for her chores?

"Alright," she said in a slightly confused voice. She shook her head and said half-grudgingly, "_Alright_, Potter. I'll come back."

James immediately looked up, his face hopeful, "Really?"

Feeling the urge to laugh at his boyishness, Lily nodded impatiently, "Yes. And you don't have to pay me." She shook her head again as she wandered back inside to collect her possessions.

James stayed rooted to the spot, hardly daring to believe that she was returning. Filled with a rising, almost elated, feeling, James looked heedfully at the redheaded girl bustling around the room.

"Umm... Lily?" he called hesitantly. It was one of those rare moments he called her by her first name and she looked round, faintly mystified.

"I'm... I'm sorry," he half-mumbled, looking at the floor again.

"For what?" Lily wanted to know, studying the boy closely and wondering what on earth had gotten into him.

"For everything," James replied genuinely, and their eyes met for a second. He twisted his hands together uncomfortably, as though rallying up the courage to say something else, "And I'll try to help out more often... with the housework."

Lily felt a queer sensation in her chest at his vulnerable tone of voice when he said those words. Putting on a bright smile she said rosily, "Well, you should! Everything'd be a lot easier for the both of us if we worked together.

James looked at her again and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth at her animated expression as she tossed items into her trunk and asked him to help her, glad and relieved to know that she was finally back.

---

Lily set a framed photograph of her family on the table beside her four-poster. Despite James' earlier threat to throw out anything she left behind, he hadn't touched any of her possessions. She put away the last of her clothes in her wardrobe and sat back on her bed, sorting out the rest of the things in her trunk.

She thought about what James had said and mused over it as she unpacked the rest of her things. He was such an enigmatic boy, with more personalities than anyone she'd ever met before. One moment he was the most arrogant toerag to ever grace the earth, the next he could be a sweet, vulnerable, mindful person.

Lily couldn't believe she had returned just a couple of days after leaving. She had been so sure she would be staying in the Room of Requirement for the rest of the year. But then again, this year had thrown at her more ups and downs then she could ever have imagined.

She gave a little sigh and shook her head as she put away her parchment.

"I really am thick."

----------

A/N: Hi ! (x Wow .. I _know_ it's been months since I've last updated, but the school term was _full_ of assignments and studying and exams. Anyway, this as an uber-long chapter, hahaha. I dunno how it happened! But I really hope you liked the events that occurred. Wow .. it's been almost a year since I started this fic. Lol, just goes to show how long I take to update. Anyway, thanks so much for the reviews. x) I'm so glad you like the story so much! It makes the writing of this all the more worthwhile. Hehe.

GUESS WHAT? It's my birthday in less than 3 weeks ! _(jumps up and down)_ Hehe ! x) Thanks for sticking by me, everyone ! Please read my LiveJournal if you start to wonder where on earth I've disappeared to. x) luv always ! msq.


	14. Let It Snow

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Fourteen ll Let It Snow**

----------

A blustery whirlwind descended upon Hogwarts castle, the grounds lightly covered with the first, gentle fall of snowflakes and the trees waving their feathery white branches. The air was crisp and refreshingly cold, and students began adorning their dragon hide gloves and knitted scarves in an attempt to battle the frosty onslaught.

With Christmas and joyous holidays dancing around the corner, older students began to lose interest in their studies and work, and instead focused on the delightful possibilities that December was bound to bring.

"I'm so _cold_!" Rinoa Leonhart shuddered emphatically, drawing her scarf up over the bottom half of her face, "Can we _please_ go inside Honeydukes or something?"

Lily chuckled as they crunched along the icy paths of Hogsmeade, "We've been in there four times already."

"But I'm sick of walking," Rinoa complained, grudgingly lugging her Christmas shopping with her, "What about the Three Broomsticks? Only been in there twice!"

"Okay, okay."

The two girls forced their way into the full, merry bar. From a corner Remus Lupin waved at the girls, and Rinoa cheerfully went over, Lily following half-heartily. Remus and Rinoa undoubtedly had a spark going on there, and though she really did like Remus very much, Lily never could contrive to enjoy herself whole-heartedly when in their presence.

Unfortunately, she would have to tolerate this uncomfortable company for the whole Christmas break.

"We're gonna fling those idiotic books in the fire, stuff ourselves silly with turkey, ham and four thousand helpings of pudding, build a snowman - remember Mr. Hankey from first-year? - have a snow war, dance till our legs drop off, eat some more pudding, make a couple of snow angels, go tobogganing down past Hagrid's hut and then come back to top it off with a midnight snack," Rinoa said happily, outlining their schedule for the winter holidays.

Lily smiled, but deep down knew she and Rinoa would not find enough time to do all those things and eat so much dessert, what with Remus around too. She sighed a little, feeling a bit left out of it, but checked herself reproachfully. She knew that she had neglected Rinoa to some extent that year - there had been so much happening.

Lily, Rinoa and Remus weren't the only ones staying at Hogwarts. James decided he would lodge at the castle as well, after a letter of advice from his family.

_We just don't think it's a good time for you to be coming back home yet, sweetheart... reporters are still hounding the manor, hoping that you'll have a sudden, insane impulse to come back in the middle of the school year... You'll be safer at Hogwarts, James._

This created a spot of bother as it meant James wouldn't be able to accompany Lydia back to her house in Italy and stay for a week, which she had invited him to do and he had amiably accepted.

"I suppose I'll have to go alone, then," she replied dolefully.

James felt rather guilty. He knew her parents wouldn't like her to travel by herself and felt bad about backing out of it at the last minute. He tried to work out a solution over the next few days, then after much thought and doubt he approached Sirius hesitantly and asked him how he'd feel about taking Lydia back. Her family would be more than happy to have him stay over, and James knew Lydia was only pretending not to care about Sirius anymore.

Sirius, being the wonderful person he was, obliged, though rather unenthusiastically. When James told him that she missed him (which he knew was true), Sirius only sighed and muttered that he missed her too.

Other than that, the week leading up to the much-anticipated Christmas holiday was a most smooth yet dragging one, the days passing by much slower than usual.

Finally, Christmas Eve arrived in a great tide of tinsel and holly, and the seventh-years were all grouped in the cosy common-room saying goodbye to their friends.

"Bye, Wormtail," James said warmly, clapping Peter on the back, "Take care and say hi to your mother for me." He then turned to Sirius and Lydia, who were standing together awkwardly and had given up making small talk. Feeling in control, James smiled at them, hugged Lydia and half-hugged Sirius.

"I better get that Lightning Cleansweep," Sirius said good-naturedly, his dark eyes glittering as they parted.

James harrumphed, "Yeah, you will... a drawing of it," and Remus laughed.

Peter, Lydia and Sirius left together after the farewells, followed by other students, climbing out of the portrait hole. Remus and Rinoa immediately turned to each other and the world around them had seemingly lost all meaning. This left Lily and James to communicate in an awkward fashion.

"I'd never seen you smile before," Lily remarked with a smile as he sat across her, "It's not a bad sight. You should try it more often."

A slight smirk graced his lips as he replied, "I have too smiled before."

"_That's_ not a smile. It's more of a leer," she said distastefully, turning her head slightly and waving at Charlie cheerfully as he caught her eye from the other side of the room.

James also glanced at him and turned back to her with a grimace, "What have I told you about him?"

Lily scrunched up her face, "And since when do I listen to you? You keep your friends and I'll keep mine, thank you."

He looked slightly nettled but then she teased, "Potter, you're not smiling," and the conversation took a turn from there.

After a magnificent dinner that bore hints of the next night's Christmas banquet, Rinoa and Lily chattered away gaily as they went upstairs to the Head tower for a little sleepover. They raided the kitchens at around eleven and, stifling giggles, ran back up with their arms full of treats.

"I can't believe this is our seventeenth Christmas," Rinoa said in a hushed voice, sitting cross-legged on the rug in Lily's dormitory where colourful candy spilled out of their packets in front of her.

Lily swallowed a gummi worm and nodded dolefully, "Who knew so much would happen this year? Sleeping here in this dorm... Crysta not even talking to us anymore..."

"You being in _Witch Weekly_," Rinoa added mischievously, turfing the cover of the outdated magazine that had caused so much havoc just a few weeks ago, "_Engaged_, too."

"You snogging Remus Lupin..." Lily shot back, equally slyly.

"At least I'm doing the relationship process in the right order - ouch!" Rubbing the top of her head reproachfully, Rinoa, catching sight of the time, said cheerlessly, "Yeah, yeah... and a Merry Christmas to you too, Lil."

Grinning charmingly, Lily replied, "Merry Christmas, Mrs Lupin."

---

"LILYKINS! IT'S SNOWING!" Rinoa shouted at the top of her lungs, scrambling from the mess of tangled blankets and clothes to shove her face against the white window, "Ow, the glass is cold - BUT LOOK AT THOSE LITTLE SNOWFLAKES!"

"Rin, it's been snowing for a few weeks now," Lily, who had woken up abruptly with a shriek at Rinoa's yell, mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"I know, isn't it exciting?" the raven-haired girl squealed, stepping blithely around their sleepover and toppling over her pillow. "Look, our presents!" she cried happily when she landed next to her pile.

Lily groaned, rolling backwards and pulling the quilt over her head.

Several minutes later the two girls were opening their Christmas presents merrily, exclaiming over cherished things they had received and laughing at each other's odd gift that cropped up every now and then.

Picking up one of her last few presents, Lily pulled off the card and opened it up.

_Hope you find this handy for all your essay and story writing._

_Merry Christmas._

_James._

"Potter got me a present!" Lily exclaimed, half-shocked and half-guilty, "I completely forgot about him! Do people usually give their enslavers Christmas presents?"

"I wouldn't waste my time," Rinoa said matter-of-factly, peering over, "What is it?"

Lily unwrapped the gift to reveal a long, thin box. She opened it up and gasped when she saw a black Deluxe Quill. Near the end of the sleek, glossy feather was her name in golden lettering.

Rinoa's jaw dropped open, "Wow! Those are so expensive _and_ he got it customised." She looked up at Lily dubiously, "Are you sure you two aren't _really_ engaged?"

The redhead chuckled, her green eyes glistening as she looked at the quill.

"Here, there's a PS on the card," Rinoa pointed out, passing the card back to Lily.

_PS. Your name changes to 'house-elf' whenever you say something lousy about me. Just to remind you who's who in this business._

"That prat!" she exclaimed, shaking her head exasperatedly. That was a mistake, however, when the _Lily Evans_ written in gold on the black quill slowly formed into _House-Elf_.

Rinoa was letting out hearty peals of laughter while Lily scowled fiercely.

"Oh, this is hilarious. You're gonna have a hard time keeping your name on that quill, Lil!"

When they had finally gotten dressed and semi cleared up their pigsty, the girls set out to the Great Hall. As she closed her bedroom door behind her, Lily smiled subconsciously at the familiar common-room she found herself in. It had seemed so strange and foreign the first time she set foot in here.

Glancing across at the _Head Boy_ dorm, Lily hesitated.

"Maybe I should thank him for the quill," she said doubtfully, and Rinoa half-shrugged.

"Be my guest... you're too kind for your own good, Lily."

With a smile, Lily went over and knocked on the door. After knocking twice, she opened the door gently and peeked in. The four-poster bed was empty and neatly made; evidently no one had slept in it that night. Feeling slightly disappointed, the redhead closed the door and Rinoa linked her arm with hers. Together they walked to the portrait door and pulled it open.

"Ahh!" they both shrieked, leaping back when they saw someone standing in the hole already.

The stranger raised an eyebrow, the act of which was uncannily like James', and Lily instantly remembered who she was - the broad-shouldered, thick-eyebrowed girl with the personality and stance of an army general. Lily could feel Rinoa shuffle slightly beside her on beholding the girl's appearance.

"Is James in?" was her instantaneous demand, once again releasing her aura of command and conquer.

"Uh..." Lily said tentatively, her eyes fixated on her permanently frowning face, "No, he's not. I'm not sure where he is."

"He should be at the Gryffindor tower," Rinoa piped up helpfully, and the girl switched her smoldering gaze to her for a brief moment.

"And how do I get there?" she said impatiently, sounding both ashamed and angry at having to ask.

Rinoa's brown eyes widened, "You don't know how to get to the Gryffindor tower? Surely you still remember your way around the castle, it's only been a couple of years, hasn't it - ?"

The older girl's black eyes seemed to rekindle with a black fury as she laid them stonily on Rinoa, who promptly broke off, seeming to realise that she had just said something highly offensive though she wasn't quite sure what. She glanced helplessly at Lily who looked just as bewildered.

"I never attended this school," she said coldly, "I've only visited on very few occasions in recent years."

She said no more, only glowering at the two seventh-year girls who both felt very small all of a sudden. Then after a moment, the dark-haired girl asked again, "Are you going to tell me how to get to the tower or not?"

Lily and Rinoa gave her quick instructions, careful to talk politely and respectfully. When they were done, however, Lily rallied up the courage to get a few answers of her own.

"Excuse me," she said bravely, twisting her hands together nervously and looking up at the domineering young woman, "But could you tell us... who you are?"

Narrowing her dark eyes at Lily, the girl said in her booming voice, "James hasn't told you?" She looked resigned and, sounding as though it were killing her, she answered stoically, "My name is Regina Potter. I'm James' sister."

Lily made her face rigid as to hide her shock (which she knew would be highly rude), "_Ooo-ooh._ That's right. He - he mentioned you a few times, actually."

Rinoa was a little less successful in concealing her surprise, but luckily Regina was not looking at her.

"Well, everyone's heard about you - Lily Evans," she said almost critically, scrutinising Lily, "I must say, when I invented the 'arranged marriage' rumour I never expected it to turn out like this... didn't think James could ever - well, forget it." And without thanking them or acknowledging their kindness in any way, Regina turned on her heel and set off to the Gryffindor tower.

"_That's_ James' sister?" Rinoa whispered incredulously, "I think the good looks gene skipped over her..."

"Rin!" Lily exclaimed, half-laughing, half-shocked, "That's a horrible thing to say!"

"You know it's true."

After breakfast the girls went outside to enjoy the snow, where most of the other students were also. There they met Remus, and Lily was thankful that he and Rinoa did not wander off into their own little land so that she was completely shut out. As she shook snow out of her red hair, curiosity got the better of her.

"Hey, Remus, where's James?" she asked casually.

"Oooh," Remus was busy trying to duck from Rinoa's snowballs, "He won't come outside, he says he's sick."

"Sick?" Lily repeated, nonplussed. It certainly wasn't an image she'd ever projectiled of manly, macho James, "So he's just staying inside for the whole day, by himself?"

"I think so," Remus replied, still hiding from Rinoa. He turned to look at Lily curiously, "Why?"

Lily flushed, though she hadn't any idea why, "Oh - uhh... I was just wondering. You two would usually hang out together, wouldn't you?"

Remus smiled blithely, "Yeah, we sure did that last night. Stayed up to two o'clock. He slept at his old dorm," he explained at her enquiringly look, "It's good to have James back, hadn't realised how little I've seen of him this year." Lily nodded morosely, as the same was true of her. "Anyway, he told me to come out without him because he's only gonna be studying and reading. There's only so much chess and Gobstones you can play."

"He's _studying_? During Christmas?"

"I told him to take it easy, but he waved me off. You know how he is."

"Mmmhmm."

They spent the morning together, just basking in the chilly weather and building snowmen and attempted igloos. They then went inside the Great Hall for a warm, hearty lunch. To her surprise, James wasn't present at the nearly empty Gryffindor table. She quietly ate her way through her pie, wondering where he was, half-hoping he'd turn up sooner or later, and then questioning her wiser instincts on _why_ she was fretting over him so much.

The rest of the day was very pleasant; they spent the afternoon inside the common-room with mugs of hot chocolate and reminiscent stories of their earlier Christmases at Hogwarts. After a magnificent Christmas dinner (James still absent from the proceedings), Lily bade goodnight to Remus and Rinoa and trudged up to the Head tower with a warm sense of happiness.

She stepped inside the common-room, dimly aware of the glowing embers in the fireplace, and jumped when a feeble voice stirred, "Lily?"

"Potter!" His figure was curled drowsily on the couch and he struggled to a sitting position. "You've been _here_ this whole day?"

"I - I'm sick," James mumbled, stifling a yawn.

"You don't look sick," Lily retaliated, scrutinising him closely.

"I've been recovering," he shot back defensively, now looking more awake. He ran a hand through his jet black hair, "Can you knock something up for me, I'm starving."

Lily just stared at him curiously. Perching herself on the side of the couch she asked, "Did your sister find you in the end?"

James looked surprised, then he nodded, "Oh, right. She mentioned that she met you and your friend briefly here. She thinks you're impertinent." A smile toyed at the corners of his mouth as he watched her reaction.

"_Me_, impertinent?" Lily repeated shrilly. Then she shook her head, "Whatever! I don't care. What did she want with you?"

He yawned lazily, "Why do you care, Evans?"

"Because if my instincts are correct," she spoke tranquilly, brushing her hair away after she pulled her beanie off, "It's got something to do with why you spent the entire Christmas Day alone, by yourself, cooped up miserably in the castle with," she took his book from him, "_Quidditch Through The Ages._ And you are most certainly _not_ sick."

James raised an eyebrow at her. "Fine, I'm not sick, then, Sherlock Holmes," he said snappishly, snatching his book back, "If you must know, Regy told me not to go outside when the school's so empty because of this whole engagement thing. It hasn't really blown over yet, and Slughorn's always having these random outsiders lurking the grounds."

"What about me, then, I've been out all morning!"

"You don't matter," James said dryly, shooting her a look, "Because without me, you're not interesting."

"Oh, _grazies_, Potter, you sure know how to make your bride-to-be feel special," Lily said sarcastically. She grinned mirthfully when he gaped at her in slight horror. "I'm kidding. Don't look so horrified."

"If you ever forget this is strictly a _contract only_ engagement I'm gonna have to kick you out," a relieved James mumbled.

She grinned, ever-so-cheerful, "But honestly, Potter, when you _do_ find yourself a fiancee - bless her soul - try to be kind and loving toward her."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said through clenched teeth, her cheeriness starting to make his head ache, "Now _go_ and make some risotto for me or something."

Lily was unperturbed; sometimes, annoying James was very entertaining, especially as he did it to her much more often. "Come on, Potter. Let's go to the kitchens."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm not gonna cook now! It's your fault you didn't come down for the feast," she pointed out. When he groaned irritably, Lily grinned again and began to feel a slight twinge of pity for him. Then and there she decided to make his Christmas Day worthwhile after all, even with only (she checked the time) a few hours left till its demise.

"C'mon, there's plenty of leftovers, and I'm kinda hungry now." Grabbing his arm, the redhead pulled him up with stupendous effort and dragged him to the door, despite his protests.

The house-elves greeted them squeakily and happily as they went inside the brightly lit kitchens. As soon as they sat down at the table several dishes appeared in front of them. James blinked. Lily beamed and thanked the little creatures.

He tucked in hungrily, having been famished all day, feeding on dry biscuits and stale cakes. She watched him intently as he ate, which didn't escape his attention.

"What?" James finally asked, his hazel eyes sweeping over her scornfully, "Stop staring at me, Evans, you're creeping me out."

Lily chuckled buoyantly, which also unsettled him, "Sorry, Potter. I was just wondering... have you _really_ been doing nothing all day?"

"I've been studying."

She scoffed, "Yeah, right. And I'm in love with Snape."

"Are you now?" James asked her with renewed interest. She glared swiftly at him, "Of course I'm not!" He sniggered.

Lily rolled her eyes again as they fell back into silence. James glanced at her in between bites and asked, trying to make it sound offhand, "What have you been doing all day, then?"

"Oh... had a snow war with Remus and Rinoa, had lunch, then we shared youthful stories..."

"Did - did you guys build a snowman?"

The redhead furrowed her brow curiously, as it was a bit of an odd question, "Yeah..." His eyes quickly darted away and he stuffed his mouth with more food. A smile unfurled across her face, "You were lonely, weren't you?" she accused mischievously.

"What?" he asked indignantly, going pink, "What are you talking - "

"Bet you were peeking out of windows to watch us having such fun," she teased with a cute little expression on her face, "Aww, poor Potter."

How had _she_ known he was watching them jealously?

"Whatever," he muttered, preserving his dignity.

"C'mon, Potter, who _wouldn't_ be lonely on Christmas Day when they're by themselves?" Lily was grinning exultantly at him now, unnerving him greatly. Her green eyes sparkled and she leaned in excitedly, "I know, let's go outside now."

"Now?" James repeated, his voice going high at the end, "Why?"

"Christmas isn't complete if you don't enjoy the snow," she said nonchalantly, wrapping her scarf around her neck tighter. She stood up briskly, "Let's go! Are you done yet?"

She had gone insane. That had to be it. Perfect, rule-abiding, Head Girl Lily Evans was ordering him to go outside in the middle of the night to enjoy the snow. James had never heard anything equal to it, but the blithe, jaunty expression on her face made him have second thoughts. Perhaps it wasn't such a mental idea after all... he_ had_ been cooped up inside the castle all day... and after all, it was Christmas!

Before he could say anything, though, she was already heaving him to his feet. My, someone was certainly pushy today.

"Hey - hey - my apple pie - !"

"Oh, forget the stupid pie."

The night air was much cooler than it was during the day and the two were thankful for the extra jackets and scarves they'd donned. As they trudged out of the castle, Lily spotted the frozen lake and instantly made a beeline for it, dragging him along.

"Evans - where are we going?" James asked uncertainly, his breath coming out in misty puffs.

"We're gonna go ice-skating! We never got around to doing it today. Come on!" She happily ran towards the locked hut where the skates were kept. James' eyes widened apprehensively.

"You're kidding me..."

Five minutes later he found himself on the slippery ice, a pair of skating shoes strapped tightly on either foot. Lily had enchanted some lights on the surrounding trees so that visibility was existent. Now the redhead was gliding over the smooth surface, grinning as the wind blew onto her face. She circled around a stationary James, "What are you still doing there?" she teased, coming to a perfect halt, "C'mon, start skating! This is great."

"Easy for you to say," he muttered, struggling to keep his balance. His legs were quivering dangerously and he cursed under his breath.

A peculiar expression crossed Lily's face, "Potter... you don't know how to skate, do you?" He glanced at her ominously and she cracked up laughing, her eyes crinkling up. His expression softened somewhat; she looked quite endearing when she laughed.

"The great James Potter doesn't know how to ice-skate," Lily sung merrily as he glared at her. She giggled, skating away from him, "Too bad for Hogwarts' best Quidditch player..."

"Flying's got nothing to do with maintaining balance when you've two metal blades under your feet!" James yelled after her broodingly, then yelped as his legs crumpled underneath him - for one foolish moment he was half-bent over the ice and then the world spun around and he had fallen over.

This was absolutely absurd. He should have never agreed to come out here with Evans. He must have been brainwashed or something.

Her mirthful laughter rung in his eyes as she gracefully skated in front of him. James lifted his stony gaze up to her. Still grinning, Lily extended her hand.

"Would it kill you to _ask_ for help?" she wanted to know, raising her eyebrows. James reluctantly took her hand and she pulled him to his feet, all while managing to stay balanced herself. As soon as he was upright he stumbled forward and immediately grabbed her to prevent him from falling over. A laughing Lily steadied him, placing both hands on his arms.

"This is mental, let me off!" James demanded through clenched teeth, his dignity marred and cheeks flushed at their close proximity. Her hair smelt... nice.

"All you need is a little practice," Lily consoled musingly, both of them still holding onto each other. She hadn't realised he was so tall. "And then you'll be able to do this - " Releasing him for a second, she performed a swift pirouette on the ice, arms aloft.

James looked at her enviously.

"Show-off."

Lily gave him the evil-eye, "Want me to leave you here again?"

That sobered him up.

The next half an hour was spent trying to teach James how to ice-skate, which proved to be an enormous feat. Lily stayed at his side, instructing him how to move his feet properly, but he mostly ended up on his backside. She tried her best to bite back her laughter, but it was just too funny. James looked just like a little boy, struggling against friction and gravity.

"Just bend forward a little - no, not _that_ much!" she exclaimed as he almost did a forward somersault onto the ice, his arms comically spinning in circles, "Just enough to balance yourself out."

"I feel like I'm trying to lay an egg," James mumbled apathetically.

Lily rolled her eyes at his synonyms, "Okay, now keep your legs apart, and then _push _with your right foot..." Squeezing his eyes shut, James willed his foot to slide forward against the slippery ice... and to his surprise, he began to move.

"That's it!" she cheered happily, taking swift strokes forward to keep up with him, "Alright, keep going, just keep pushing one foot at a time..."

As the raven-haired boy continued to slide his feet forward choppily, a tiny smile emerged on his face. Hey, this was actually... fun. The wind blowing against his face was the same feeling he got when flying.

Lily was following beside him, looking delighted at his progress (finally), "You're doing it, Potter!"

James glanced at her and grinned maliciously, "I'll race you to the end."

He took off alarmingly fast, almost tripping at a chipped surface. Lily's green eyes widened before she chased after him, her feet working swiftly and quickly compared to his choppy strides. Very soon they were beside each other again.

"You didn't think you could _beat_ me, did you?" Lily taunted innocently.

James smirked at her angelic expression and tried to go even faster, his skates going double time. Unfortunately he was getting a little ahead of himself and tripped over his own feet, sailing spectacularly through the air to land in the snow on the side of the lake. Groaning painfully, James rolled onto his back and spat out a mouthful of snow. Lily slid to a stop in front of him and put her hands to her hips.

"Even _you_ can't be that magnificent on your first try," she told him solemnly, a smile toying around the corners of her mouth.

"I just wanted to go fast," James said woefully, still lying in the snow and looking up at her like a misbehaving child. With flecks of snow in his dark hair and his cheeks faintly flushed from the cold, Lily started to realise why he was considered the most good-looking boy at school.

She leaned down, her emerald eyes starry, "Why didn't you just say so?" He looked at her incomprehensibly.

"Aaah, slow down!" James croaked, squeezing his eyes shut as the curve came up. He was swung around it incredibly fast, the wind soaring through his hair wildly; he bent his knees even more to ensure his safety so that he was in a kind of quat. Lily glanced back at him and had to grin at his frightened countenance.

After another half hour of fooling around the ice rink, with Lily holding onto his hand and pulling him around the lake ("Gee, Potter, lose some weight!"), and then a game of 'tag' in which James could never catch her, the two exhausted teenagers sat down on the bench, removing their skates and looking up into the star strewn sky, just talking to each other for once.

James winced as he rubbed his wrist, "I'm gonna have a million bruises by tomorrow."

"Wimp," Lily said, shaking her head with a smile after inspecting his wrist, "You've suffered much worse injuries than a tiny bruise."

He smiled in spite of himself, thinking how relaxing and nice it was to be outside in the middle of the night, with the winter air around them and the velvety black sky above their heads. He was glad he had come out, after all. His Christmas Day had ended on a much nicer note than it had started, and he was surprised that it was Lily who had made it so.

_Lily._ James glanced at the redhead, star-gazing dreamily in her own land. He'd actually enjoyed her company that night. Her merry spirit and optimistic aura had somehow rubbed off on him and he was beginning to like that about her.

And she was certainly talented at ice-skating.

"I guess even house-elves can turn a new leaf," he murmured inconspicuously, pretending not to notice her agitated look as he gazed up at the sky. He looked over at her after a moment, "What? I'm complimenting you."

"You could've put it a nicer way!" Lily complained as he snickered, "Git."

"How'd you get so good, anyway?" he asked a bit grudgingly after a moment's pause, "At ice-skating, I mean."

"Oooh..." the redhead allowed herself a smile, looking up into the night sky once more, "My parents taught me when I was little. We used to always ice-skate during Christmas, you know. It was our little tradition."

James nodded wordlessly. She turned back to him, "What about you? How come you suck at it so much?"

He swept her a look of scorn but replied, "Too busy learning other stuff. Fencing, art classes, pottery... amidst all that, my parents never thought of ice-skating, I suppose. I always thought it sounded kinda stupid, anyway," he added, "Strapping bits of metal on the bottom of your feet to wobble around on the ice."

Lily was too used to his randomly negative attitude to be too fathomed by this; it was always much easier to ignore him and continue on with life as if nothing happened. She gazed up at the twinkling stars in a tranquil state, feeling at peace with the world. She loved the stars. They were always winking and smiling down at her.

"James?" she broke the lull as something in her memory stirred.

He started, both at her voice and how she was addressing him by his first name. "Yeah?"

"Thanks... for the Deluxe Quill," she said quietly, not exactly meeting his eyes.

James felt his heart speed up but he waved an airy hand, "It's no problem. I know you like all that writing stuff."

"You do?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Sure. You're always scribbling madly away, like a - like a - " James fumbled around for a simile, " - scribe. Sometimes it gives me a headache watching you."

Honestly, could he _ever_ be nice?

"Well, you're right. I do like writing," she agreed cordially, smiling to herself as tales of dragons and knights and princesses shut up in towers floated in her mind, "Stories are the best. I want to be a writer one day, and have people all around the world reading my stories." A beautiful smile lit her face and her emerald eyes seemed to glisten in the darkness, "Just thinking that people will be reading my words gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart. It's incredible."

James smiled somewhat reluctantly at the radiant look on her face. Lily swivelled her head toward him appealingly, "What do you think?"

He marshalled his thoughts, gazing at the castle in the faraway distance. "I think... that the most important thing for a writer is to be able to connect with their reader. So," he turned pointedly to her, "Be a writer that touches people's lives, Evans."

Lily beamed up at him, making him feel a little light-headed, "You're right! Wow, Potter, I didn't know you could be so deep."

James grinned smugly, enhancing his handsome features, "You never ask."

---

The Christmas break was nearly over and all students would be returning back to Hogwarts the next day. Lily had drawn her legs up on the sofa in front of the fireplace, a notebook in front of her and her Deluxe Quill poised in her hand. Her holiday had gone by fairly well without any mishaps, and she was looking forward to plunging right back into rigorous studying and revising after such a refreshing break.

James climbed in through the portrait hole at that moment. "Hey," she greeted him without looking up, "Where've you been?"

"Just had a talk with Dumbledore," he said dismissively, coming over and stopping by the sofa. He stood there for awhile without saying anything. Lily glanced up at him.

"What's wrong?"

"He - he wants us to name this place," James said uncomfortably.

Lily frowned, "You mean, name the Head tower?"

He nodded, "He said since it's 'our house', we should give it a name... You're actually excited about this, aren't you?" He looked at her perplexedly as she sat up straighter.

"Well, it'll be fun," Lily said defensively, flipping to a new page in her book, "Okay, give me a name, Potter."

James hesitated, wavering slightly underneath her expectant look, "Well... maybe..."

"Spit it out!"

Thinking vaguely how impatient she could be at times, he half-mumbled, "I was thinking... Full House."

There was silence.

Lily looked at him intently with a soft sparkle in her eyes, "You... you like that name?"

Heartily embarrassed, James nodded sheepishly, "Yeah... I mean, it just _feels_ nice, doesn't it? Kinda like... kinda like a house full of opportunity, of hope, of joy... of love - " He broke off suddenly, a pink tinge appearing on his cheek, "Well, yeah, you know what I mean."

_He can be so sweet and naive sometimes..._

"You know," Lily said softly, her gaze still upon him, "That's exactly what my father said when he was naming the house."

There was silence again, in which James tried to gain control of the situation, "So - er - Full House it is, then?" he said weakly.

Lily smiled obligingly, eyes a little cloudy with reminiscence, "Full House it is."

----------

A/N: Ohmygah, yes, it's me... back from the dead. _-sniff-_ I feel _really_ guilty just leaving you all hanging for almost half a year. It's just... so much has happened... and I've been terribly lazy... and Harry Potter is just not my thing at the moment. _-cowers from rotten vegetables-_ (I seem to be doing that a lot.) But, I'm back now! xD Hehe. Okay, okay, that was a bad chappie, I know, but I almost killed my wrist trying to type it. In fact, my keyboard malfunctioned and I had to switch it. Creepy? Yes, I think so. Anyway... I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I'll try and make it up to all of you by staying up tonight and working on the plot. (Yes, I'm still not sure of the plot, even now.) Hehe. Well, if anyone's still here, just here to say... I LOVE YOU! And my wrist hurts. x) Thanks for all the requests for me to hurry my arse and update, everyone! xD - msq.


	15. In The Gale

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potterised, and some of this story is inspired greatly by a Korean drama called 'Full House'. x) So anything you recognise of theirs... is not mine. xD

**Full House**

**Chapter Fifteen ll In The Gale**

----------

"It's - um - nice snow out here," Sirius said awkwardly. He looked around the vast front lawn of the Kensington mansion, camouflaged with masses of pure white snow. Standing beside in a jaunty fur jacket was Lydia, also looking a bit apprehensive and awkward. Her beaming parents had just ushered the pair outside after a hearty breakfast, and fully expected them to play in the snow like kiddies.

"Yeah," she agreed timidly.

Parents never broke out of their adoring habit when it came to childhood friends.

Meanwhile, Sirius sighed mentally after he glanced at her somber look. A polite (a word that existed very loosely in his vocabulary) and tense atmosphere had manifested itself between him and Lydia since... the incident. He hated it and knew it mustn't continue on. After all, how long had they been friends for? Wasn't it a part of their sacred, kiddy vow? Through thick and thin? Till death do them part?

_...Maybe that's for marriage. Yeah. I think it is._

But at least now he had an idea.

Grinning slyly, Sirius bent down and rolled a perfect snowball. "Here comes the bride, all dress in white!" he suddenly shouted, pegging it at the oblivious girl.

Lydia gasped sharply as the icy snow impacted her face. She gaped at him in mortification and he burst out laughing at her, not at all perturbed.

"Nice look, Lyds," he said gaily.

For a moment she stared at him long and hard, expression unreadable. And then a haughty smile unfurled across her face and she darted toward the ground to fling snow at him, "The same of you, Sirius!"

"Not the hair! Anything but the hair!" he cried out dramatically, shielding his head. Under cover of his cries, Sirius grabbed another fistful of snow and threw it at her, making her shriek.

"Hey - Sirius!" she exclaimed, beginning to laugh.

"All hail the ice queen!" he proclaimed joyously, grinning at her evident enjoyment. She sent him a fleeting look of playful warning before pelting hastily created snowballs at him.

"Ahhh, your royal highness is out to get me!"

"You said it," Lydia said mischievously, giggling as he dove behind a tree.

Maybe Christmas wouldn't be so awkward after all.

---

The Christmas cheer was draining away fast as Hogwarts students returned back to their much adored (kind of) school, Sirius, Lydia and Peter among the tide of teenagers bubbling to the brim with stories to tell of vegetables jammed up cousins' noses and turkeys springing to life on the dinner table. A week back at the castle settled them down into a routined life of classes and homework, and the school year was progressing on.

"I can't believe this is happening!" moaned Lily as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Join the club," James muttered in a sour voice. He stuck his hands in his pockets moodily, "I might as well throw away my dignity while I'm at it."

Lily threw him a Look. "Oh, so I expect you can prance around and waltz around a ballroom like a graceful swan?"

He held his chin up high, "As a matter of fact, I can."

"Ooh, I'd like to see that - whoa!" Lily cried as she stumbled on the stone ground. They were walking down the corridor together, coming back from Professor McGonagall's office. They were always a funny but (and many envious girls had to admit) cute sight, as one was rather short and the other reasonably tall. She walked in a sprightly, upright way while he sauntered on broodingly.

"I suppose you would," James returned with a smirk as she righted herself. "The girl so clumsy she can hardly get around on her own two feet."

"Oh, be quiet, Potter!" a flushed Lily retorted; was it _her_ fault the ground was uneven? "You are such a cantankerous brat sometimes."

James blinked, thinking it was unfair to be insulted with something he didn't understand. Clearing his throat, he said wryly, "Yeah, whatever... carrot-head." He hid a smirk.

She whipped around at once. "What did you call me?"

He smiled charmingly at her, always glad to see her nettled. Striding on he said briskly, "Oh, never mind if you didn't hear... _Carrotlocks._" He tugged on one of her braids as he passed, causing her to yell in protest. James snickered muffledly.

Ahhh, he was brilliant.

"You - you - you four-eyed dunce!" Lily called after him defiantly.

James paused and turned on his heel. They were separated by a few feet and looked ready to duel.

"Pygmy," he countered.

"Mop-head."

"Birdbrain."

Lily's eyes sparkled maliciously, "Mister I'm-afraid-of-geese."

His face transformed into a thundercloud, "You little - "

"Hi, Lily."

They both stopped and turned to the source of the noise. Charlie was standing there in the corridor, looking a little wrong-footed at the fierce expressions on both their faces. He glanced over at James and lowered his head slightly to acknowledge him; likewise, James did the same but said nothing.

"Hey, Charlie!" Lily said brightly, trotting over to him, "Did you just get out of an afternoon class?"

"Yeah, extension Arithmancy..." Charlie looked over at James again, who had been staring intently at them. James quickly averted his eyes and cleared his throat, turning to Lily.

"Remember not to be late tonight, alright?" he said in what would be a polite voice, had it not been for the pointed edge of warning in his tone. He widened his hazel eyes at her to emphasise this and she complied, saccharine sweet, "Of _course_, James."

Satisfied, James went off on his way, confident and cool as always. Charlie watched him leave while Lily let out a deep breath and smiled at him. "To the common-room?"

"Sure."

As they set off together, Charlie cocked his head curiously, "What's going on tonight?"

"Ooh, you are not going to believe this," Lily said indignantly as she remembered the unpleasant deliberation, "But at the seventh-year graduation ball, the Head Boy and Head Girl have to perform a _solo dance_ together! Isn't that the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard of?" She looked at him and he nodded hastily, although he couldn't see what was so absurd about it. "Well, anyway, James and I have to start learning our dance and our first practice is tonight."

"Oh. Right." Charlie couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at this, but quickly repelled the feeling. "So I guess you've got your hands full now, huh? With this and also the tutoring classes."

"You heard about that already?" Lily asked, surprised.

He chuckled, "Some firsties are worrying their heads off."

Lily puffed out her cheeks and frowned, "Why should they? It's not like we bite - well, James might," she added as an afterthought. Charlie laughed again and she smiled at him.

It was true that she did indeed have a lot on her plate now, but so did James. A new tutoring class had been organised for first-years, targeted at those struggling in their magical abilities. James and Lily were to help these kids by spending two evenings per week with them. It was a fairly large responsibility, but that was the expense that came with their badges.

Potter.

Tutoring children.

Yes, she, too, was slightly afraid of the consequences.

Lily, Charlie and Rinoa sat in their spot in the common-room, snacking on Chocolate Frogs while they conversed laughingly about this, that, and the other. Not too faraway sat the Marauders, talking in a familiar fashion. James' gaze kept going astray to rest on Lily as she and her dark-haired friend giggled about something that seemed to embarrass Charlie. Recapping the insult-duel he had had with her, a half-smile, half-smirk emerged on his face.

He couldn't deny that they got along much better than before, but they had their relapses. Or maybe that was just the nature of their relationship.

"Prongs. _Prongsieeee_," Sirius' face broke into a teasing smile and he smacked his hand on the back of his friend's head lightly. Remus and Peter snickered as James was jolted out of his little lapse with a wince.

"What was that for?"

"Hey, James, what's eatin' you? Were you staring at Lily?" Peter intoned slyly.

Sirius gasped in an exaggerated, girlish way, "Gawking at your pretty little fiancee. How romantic. HEY, LI - !"

"_What are you doing_?" a mortified James hissed as he clamped his hand over Sirius' mouth. People were already staring at him, though thankfully Lily hadn't noticed anything.

Then again... what did it matter? Why was he so embarrassed about being caught looking at her?

Had he even _been_ looking at her in the first place?

"I was just going to tell her I like her hair," Sirius said grouchily, sticking out his lower lip. As James released him, he added with a grin, "Especially with yours. A match made in heaven."

James groaned. It was all he could do.

Remus chortled, his grey-blue eyes glimmering, "Anyway, _James_, Sirius was talking about going abroad after Hogwarts."

The raven-haired boy immediately sat up, frowning, "Really? Where? And what for?"

Now that the attention was back to him, Sirius shrugged casually, "Almost certainly Bulgaria. Just for a change of scenery and culture. And who knows, maybe I'll take on further study there."

James looked distasteful and Peter advised Sirius not to go, because the cuisine just wasn't as good as it was cracked up to be. This led the three boys to tease him about his infatuation with food, whereupon Peter threw up his hands in defence and said it was the life source of humans. Unbeknownst to them was Lydia, who had heard every word of their conversation. As her girl friends gushed to one another, she sat there quietly, looking thoughtful.

---

"One step forward, one step back, one step to the left, step to the right, and twirl - " James spun around to the other side, not one foot out of line. "And that's it for the first part."

Lowering his arms, he said, "Okay?"

Lily stared as if he'd grown an extra head.

James raised an eyebrow, "What? You still think we need a choreographer?"

"N - no," she squeaked, "Definitely not." As he ran through the steps again, Lily briefly wondered where in holy's name he had learnt to dance like _that_.

Their practice 'ballroom' was really one of the more spacious classrooms of the castle, set at the end of the third floor. The tables and chairs had all been stacked up neatly on one side of the room, leaving a wide, floorboard area for the two to work with. The snuffy warmth of the room had made Lily drowsy as soon as she set foot inside, but James' little performance had rendered her quite alert.

Good grief, was she supposed to be as good as him?

"Do you reckon you can do that?" he asked again, coming to a halt. Then he scoffed to himself, "Why am I asking, the answer's obvious. What I _meant_ was, do you think you could stay upright on your feet during that?"

Lily bit her lip, too panicked to be insulted. Truth was, he was probably right.

James smiled indulgently at her whimpering expression and decided to play nice. He beckoned her up, "Come over here."

"Wh - what?"

He clicked his tongue impatiently. She was certainly dim today.

"I said stand here in front of me, Evans. Honestly, are things registering slower than usual?"

For some reason, she blushed a bright pink and meekly scampered up from her chair, positioning herself four feet away from him. James looked at her curiously.

"...Closer," he said as if talking to a very obtuse person.

She inched forward.

"Closer."

Lily took a bigger step toward him, very much abashed for reasons unknown even to herself. The floor. The floor was _so_ much nicer to look at than right up at him. Yeah. The floor was so clean and shiny. Filch really could be useful sometimes, she babbled in her head.

James stared at her, the atmosphere in the room changing imperceptibly as he wondered what in heaven's name had gotten into the girl. Shaking his head, he reached out and as he did so his hand brushed against her arm. "Okay, I'm gonna put one hand here - "

"_Ahhh_!" Lily squealed, jumping back.

James leapt about half a foot in the air and yelped, "What - _what_? What in Merlin's beard is wrong?"

"You - you touched me!" she cried.

It was such a ridiculous response that James was struck speechless for a second.

"Big deal! It's not like we've never made contact before, what about at ice-skating, you were holding my hand!" he yelled incomprehensibly.

"But that's different, we had mittens on!" wailed Lily.

There was silence for a moment in which he ogled at her and she crossed her arms nervously, eyes darting to the floor. At last, he let out a dragging, measured sigh.

"Evans. We're not going to be wearing mittens at the ball," he said patiently.

"I _know_," she muttered, still looking at the floor

"Do you think we could try again?"

"Yes." And she tentatively stepped closer to him.

Gingerly, James placed one of his hands on her waist and warily watched the little shiver she exhibited. Her head was still bowed down and a feeble sense of shame crept up on him.

"You don't have to be scared of me, you know," James murmured awkwardly, "I don't bite." The fleeting memory of her kicking him in the shins flitted through his mind.

"I'm not scared," Lily said firmly, her green eyes darting up to his for a second, "I just..."

She trailed off into nothingness and fell silent. She had no clue why she was feeling so jumpy and bashful. All she knew was that his hand felt nice and firm on her waist, although it sent a thousand tingles dancing through her body. Lily bit her lip as she looked at his chest and wondered what it would feel like to put her head there.

Just as James had darkly predicted, Lily was terrible at dancing and kept stumbling and running into him. The boy sighed and clicked his tongue and snapped at her as his toes were crushed and flattened, and she kept blurting out apologies and leaping back from him as though electrocuted. After twenty minutes of this, he stopped telling her off and started feeling wary of her strange behaviour.

At the end of the night, Lily stacked up her chair and James stood in the middle of the room, watching her with a mystified look on his handsome face. He had his arms crossed as he studied her. That girl was so weird in all her many layers. Lily glanced briefly back at him and he wiped the look off his face.

"Let's go back," she said, turning towards the door.

"No, wait."

James took her arm and hauled her back. Lily gasped as she almost collided right into him.

"Ow! You almost dislocated my shoulder," she moaned, rubbing her arm and pausing only when she saw he was still holding on. "What - what do you want?" Her eyes met his and her stomach gave a feeble lurch when she realised how close they were standing.

"Do I make you nervous?" James asked in an usually soft, quiet voice.

"You - you... no!" Lily said in a fluster, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She placed one hand firmly over his and tried to pry it off her, "Why are you acting like this? Potter! Let go of me!"

Flushed with indignation, she looked at him straight in the eye, and he returned the look with a small, almost knowing smirk that, oddly enough, made her heart flutter. His face was strangely clear and somehow much more mature than usual.

Unnerved, Lily did the first thing that came in her mind.

She bit his hand.

"OWWWWWWW!"

James ripped his hand away from her as fast as - well, extremely fast. "What is _wrong_ with you?" he cried, his quiet and calm and downright _unnatural_ tone quite dispersed. He examined the teeth marks in his hand while Lily put her hands on her hips.

"It serves you right," she retorted. "You were acting all weird and creepy - holding onto me like that."

"You're my fiancee, I'm allowed to touch you!"

Lily's face turned into a storm cloud.

"Your _fiancee_?" she repeated in a shrill. "_Allowed_ to touch? I don't believe you!" In a fury Lily lunged at him but James dived out of the way and barrelled out of the classroom for dear life. "You better run, Potter!" the redhead shouted, sticking her head out of the doorway and watching him flee up the stairs.

Lily walked back into the classroom, looking grievously troubled, and huffed, "What was all _that_ about, the idiot with all the wrong words flying out of his stupid mouth." But she couldn't ignore the mad pounding of her heart nor the butterflies in her stomach when he had looked at her so closely.

---

"But why would she do that?" good, old, intuitive Remus queried at their spot on the Gryffindor table. The Great Hall was littered with students trying to do their homework but really lapsing into little conversations with their friends. The Marauders were no exception. Sirius was on detention and Peter had retired to the kitchens for a break, leaving James to recount his mishap with Lily the night before.

"How should I know?" replied James, eyes set moodily on his textbook.

"You do too know," Remus countered, knocking down the book and making his friend sigh. "What did you do to her, Prongs?"

James was silent for a moment, his insides burning up. The reason was embarrassing and it sounded so - so _wrong_. Lowering his voice, he said, "Well - I wasn't letting go of her."

Remus' eyes widened so dramatically that James hissed, "Oi, don't look like that!"

"What do you mean - you were _holding_ her?"

"No - well - yes, kind of - we were practicing the dance, for Merlin's sake!"

"I thought you said this happened afterwards," said Remus amusedly.

"It did... I just... I don't know what come over me, alright?" burst James in frustration, rumpling up the back of his hair. "She was acting so quiet and shy - which is her polar opposite, I might add - that I tried to confront her about it. And when I didn't let go of her when she asked..." he trailed off.

"She bit you," finished Remus, looking positively, sympathetically amused.

James grunted, picking up his textbook and resigning himself to it gloomily. His hazel eyes darted worriedly to Remus, "But that was for your ears only, okay, Moony? I'm not in the mood to listen to Sirius laugh my ear off..."

Remus smiled, a little, quirky smile that created a mischievous gleam in his eyes and suddenly made it much more understandable why he was a Marauder. "Okay, okay, but just for the record..." his smirk deepened. "Just why was Lily's shy mood bothering you so much?"

The dark-haired boy frowned slightly, absently poking holes in his parchment with his quill. "Because I dunno how to act around her. And it usually means something's on her mind. It's like the time she stopped talking. You don't understand, Moony... when you have to live with that girl, her mood and wrath is inescapable."

He had tried to sound significant and all-knowing, but all it succeeded in doing was make Remus look significant and all-knowing.

"You know what I think, Prongs?" Remus said lightly, tapping his quill on his chin.

"What?" James said, knowing it was nothing he was going to like.

"I think Lily's growing on you, if she hasn't already. No, don't try to deny it," Remus said briskly as James opened his mouth to retaliate. "You can't honestly say you _don't_ like her, can you? You're not heartless, Prongs."

"Oh really?" James mumbled. He always liked his deep, insightful talks with Remus, but this one seemed to be touching at corners a bit too delicate for his liking.

Remus chuckled, "Oh, come off it. _I _know for a fact that you'd look out and take care of Lily if she was in danger. From the girl you kept hexing and cursing to the estranged fiancee... she's grown on you."

James buried his nose in his book and mumbled, "Whatever, Moony. I still think she's a dragon. I haven't seen her all day. She's probably waiting for me somewhere, ready to hex me into oblivion or until my own mother doesn't recognise me..."

"That might be true," Remus said glibly, checking the time. "Since our conversation has run overtime and I think you were due at the first tutor session with the first-years about twenty minutes ago."

James looked wildly at the clock and yelped, leaping up from the spot. "Merlin's beard!" he exclaimed, cramming things into his bag. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Glaring at the apologetic grin he received from his friend, James sprinted down the length of the Great Hall and to the classroom on the second floor. His insides squirmed uncomfortably as he ran, wondering how Lily was going to react.

He arrived at the door, breathless and barely standing upright, and ten first-years sitting at their desks arranged in a semi-circle glanced up. Lily, of course, was already inside. She looked at him haughtily.

"Sorry I'm late," James puffed, staggering into the classroom. All eyes followed him as he dropped into the seat beside Lily, facing the first-years. Ignoring their stares, he turned to the redhead and whispered, "What are we doing?"

"_We_ were just getting to know each other better," Lily said icily, not making a point of keeping her voice down. "I don't know what you were doing. Everyone," she said a bit more warmly to the children. "As I'm sure you all know, this is our Head Boy."

James made a face at her tone, though he inwardly winced. He looked over at the first-years and raised a hand awkwardly, "Err - yeah. I'm James Potter."

"Yeah, we know," spoke up one of the bolder boys. He nodded his head over at Lily, "You're getting married to Lily, aren't you?"

The redhead blushed and James nodded rigidly, "Yes. That is true."

"Wow," said one of the girls wistfully, a petite Ravenclaw with a pale face and starry eyes. "Are we invited to your wedding? I'd love to go."

James and Lily glanced at one other, their animosity temporarily forgotten. The boy who spoke before exclaimed, "Oh yeah! Have it at school, then we can all get a day off from class!"

"That might not be such a good idea," Lily intervened briskly. "Since, Jacob, you're here because Professor McGonagall says you're not doing very well in your classes."

Jacob huffed and folded his arms, "It's only first-year. Who cares?"

James let out a snort of laughter but stifled it when Lily quelled him with a look. She looked back at the first-years and said, "I know you might think school is a pain and you don't need to worry about it, and I can tell you that attitude doesn't change even when you've got your NEWTs ahead - " she and James exchanged mutual looks, " - but believe me, it does matter, even from first-year. I mean, if you can't transfigure matchsticks into needles now, how are you going to learn how to perform human transfiguration by sixth-year?"

There was a small, registering silence, broken when Jacob said yieldingly, "Alright, alright. Fine. But human transfiguration sounds so cool. Can you show us some now?"

"Sure," James replied before Lily could say anything. He pulled out his wand as the first-years straightened up excitedly. "Who wants to see the Head Girl with - hmm... how about blue eyes?"

"Oh yeah, I do, I do!"

"_Whoa_, you can do that?"

"It'll wear off eventually, like all transfiguring spells, but if you're really good - and I'm pretty decent at Transfiguration - it could stay for a few days."

"Pot - James," Lily broke in edgily. "No - no way! You know the third rule about spell-casting - which is, everyone?"

"Spells cast near or on the eyes are dangerous and can be detrimental to the person being performed on. At any time possible, they should be avoided," the students recited.

"Hey, come on," James said somberly. "You know I'm careful. I did it the other day in class and it was fine."

"That wasn't human transfiguration," Lily said tersely. "You performed it on a cat."

James sighed and one of the first-years said, "Aw, come on. Please? Professor McGonagall turned into a cat once in class but we've _never_ seen this before. Anyway, you can trust your husband. Right?"

"Yeah, every relationship needs trust," said the Ravenclaw girl seriously. "How can you two get married if you don't even trust one another?"

Lily and James glanced at each other.

Then he broke into a grin and, waving his wand meaningfully, said, "Exactly, _Lily_, how can we get married if we don't exhibit a little trust for one another?"

The redhead narrowed her eyes but asked sweetly, "Then how about I perform the spell on you, _James_?"

James frowned at once, "No way! Everyone knows I'm the best at Transfiguration - I'm not boasting, kids, McGonagall said so to my parents - and at least you know I _can_ do this spell."

Helpless, Lily glanced at the eager students and clicked her tongue. "James..." she started apprehensively.

"Trust, Lily, trust."

She sighed. She looked at his wand. She looked at him. And resigned herself to her fate.

---

"Um... Lyd - Lydia?" a fourth-year girl with her best friend approached the brunette who had slipped out of the Gryffindor common-room. Lydia looked enquiringly at her, noticing that she was clutching onto a _Belladonna_ magazine.

"Um, yes?" Lydia said politely.

"Oh, we - we were just wondering if we could have your autograph," the girl said quickly and breathlessly, holding out the magazine. "Please."

Lydia looked down at the magazine and smiled, "Oh, sure." The girls grinned at each other as the Italian beauty took the magazine and quill proffered and drew her equally pretty and elegant signature.

The girls took their magazine back, their eyes alight. "Thank you!" they chorused, before turning back around and trotting down the corridor excitedly. Lydia smiled indulgently as she heard one of them say, "Oh, she's _so _pretty... There's no wonder why she's a model. Do you think I could ever be a model...?"

She continued her walk down the corridor towards the classroom she knew Sirius was having detention, hoping he was finished. She felt happier than she had felt for weeks and her restored friendship with Sirius had much to do with that. He always cheered her up and she had hated being angry and sullen with him.

Pausing at the classroom, Lydia craned her head into the doorway and found Professor McGonagall deep in lecture-mode, a meek Sirius standing in front of her and trying his best to look repentant. Spotting Lydia, Sirius widened his eyes and shook his head slightly to indicate that he wasn't about to leave anytime soon.

Giggling softly, she flashed him a sympathetic smile before withdrawing her head and ambling back up the corridor. On her way, she passed by the notice board and a particular piece of parchment caught her eye. _ARITHMANTHCY SCHOLARSHIP_ was blared at the top and she gently tugged the paper free and read it; it contained details about a scholarship for Arithmancy being offered in Bulgaria. She was about to ignore it when something triggered in her memory.

_"Sirius was talking about going abroad after Hogwarts."_

_"Really? Where? And what for?"_

_"Almost certainly Bulgaria. Just for a change of scenery and culture. And who knows, maybe I'll take on further study there."_

Their words echoed in Lydia's mind as she stood there, one hand still clutching onto the paper. Then with a decisive smile, she folded up the notice and took it with her.

---

"Bye James, Lily."

"Yeah, thanks for teaching us!"

James smiled amiably and waved the first-years off, surprised that he had actually enjoyed the lesson with them. Perhaps tutoring wasn't going to be so bad after all. When the last few had left, the Head Boy jauntily turned around to behold the familiar red-haired girl standing there. She was leaning against a desk with her arms folded. He smiled sheepishly at her when their eyes met.

"So, Lily... about the blue eyes - "

"Blue? BLUE?" she shrieked, coming out of her silent reprieve with a sudden start and aiming a finger at her eyes. "I believe this is PURPLE!"

James tried not to snort at her indignation and said half-heartedly, "But they suit you. Honestly. It's very... becoming. Look on the bright side, at least people will stop questioning why I - _love_ - you." He laid heavy emphasis on the word. This did nothing to improve Lily's temper.

"What has _that_ got to do with anything?" she said sharply.

"Well, they'll think it's because you're good-looking," supplied James warily. "I mean, everyone has no clue why we're together and sometimes even I wonder how we got into this mess. We're so - so _different_."

"I've noticed," came Lily's dry response. "So. You think people will stop speculating because I have _purple_ eyes?" He nodded and she let out an exasperated sigh, absently swinging one hand at his chest to express her frustration. "You can never say anything to make someone feel better, Potter."

James made a face and caught her arm before it hit him, and didn't let go when she tried to pull away.

"What's with you?" Lily moaned, still tugging at her arm and oblivious to the changed gaze he was fixing on her. "Why do you keep holding onto me? Do you have any idea how strong you are?"

He had to be going mental. He was having another one of those _crazy_ moments of daunting and unwelcome revelation that he really did value and enjoy her presence. And it had gone past the point of merely enjoying taunting and annoying her (when had that happened?) to actually liking her as a person. This had to Remus' doings. Putting strange ideas into his head and suggesting that this - _girl_ with the luminous violet eyes had _grown on him_.

Ugh.

_Well..._ he thought absently, watching as the redhead tried to pry his fingers, one-by-one, off her. _He might be right..._ Only when the sharp sting registered did he shake his head in consternation.

"Hey, ow, ow, ow! Stop that!" he yelped.

"Well, then, let go of me!"

"I'll let go if you answer my question from last night," James said irritably, making her huff. "Do I make you nervous?" His tone was still annoyed, but a serious note coloured it.

"Do I make _you_?" she shot back, wondering why he was even asking.

For answer James held up his free hand, bearing her teeth marks. "What do you think?" he deadpanned. "You _bit_ me yesterday. I never know how you're going to act. You terrify me." For a little moment she looked at his hand and her look softened.

"You deserved that," she told him emphatically, before shaking her head and answering his question. "You disconcert me sometimes, Potter. That's all I can say."

James pondered on that for a moment and then shrugged, "Oh well. It's not like it matters."

"Then why did you even ask?" she demanded, incensed, but he waved her off airily.

"I'll be going now. See you later, and have dinner ready."

"Wait - WAIT!" Lily cried, pursuing him out of the classroom; his long legs took much bigger strides than hers and she had difficulty keeping up, something James noticed with a half-grin. She ran forward to step in his path, but he merely circled around her and kept on going.

"You can't leave me like this, Potter! What will people think? What will _teachers_ think?"

"They'll think you're very pretty with violet eyes," he said with mirth, reaching out and placing her out of his way when she stepped in once again.

"POTTER!"

"Evans," James sighed, finally stopping so that the relieved redhead could catch her breath. "I don't know the counter-curse. You know McGonagall hasn't taught us yet. The colour will just have to fade out on its own. Besides, I wouldn't perform it even if I _did _know it. Because," he said loudly when she opened her mouth, her cheeks flamed indignantly, "Spells cast near or on the eye are dangerous, remember?"

He smirked as she growled, her fists balled up. Her anger was quite endearing when she wasn't screaming at him.

"Now will you _please_ leave me alone," he said slowly, eyes widened in innocence. "I have better things to do than listen to you complain all day."

"I'm not leaving you alone until you fix this!"

James actually chuckled, rolling his hazel eyes as he continued towards the Entrance Hall. "Fine, go ahead," he retorted, "Let's see how long you last."

Lily stuck her chin up proudly, but was apprehensive when he headed out of the double doors. "Why are you going outside?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

He glanced back at her, "Because I'm going for a bit of flying on the Quidditch pitch. Still up to following me?"

She groaned.

---

"_Locomotor_," said Sirius with enthusiasm, and he and Peter were soon making their goblets race each other around the plates and cutlery; Sirius' cup knocked Peter's off course so that it fell to the ground with a smash.

"_Reparo._" Remus flicked his wand casually and replaced the repaired goblet back on the table, shooting his two friends a look. "Can't we just study in peace?"

A small explosion shook the Hufflepuff table on their side, causing several students to gasp and back away.

"Nope," Sirius said simply.

"I need to hand this in to Professor McGonagall," Peter said resignedly, holding up a late essay, "I'll be back - probably in time for dinner, if she gives me one of her lectures again."

"Ah," said Sirius sympathetically. "Yeah. Good luck with that, Wormy." When Peter had left, Sirius said, "So - Jamie's toiling with the ickle firsties, then?" He grinned at the thought, "Ah, I hope Lily keeps both him and them in line. Isn't it brilliant; of all the girls Prongs could have chose to be his pseudo-fiancee, he had to pick the only one who would stand up to him."

Remus chortled, "Yeah. It's quite ironic." He looked down at his book, and after a couple of minutes he and Sirius practiced their Charms spells and tested each other on their definitions. They were just starting to heartily argue over the precise wording of the Switching Spell when Lydia appeared by the table, clutching onto a piece of parchment. She smiled at Remus, who broke off and greeted, "Oh - hi, Lydia."

Sirius turned around and looked up, a grin breaking across his face, "Hey, Lyds. What's up?"

"Oh, not much..." she said delicately, glancing imploringly at Remus, who got the message at once and stood up, saying, "Erm... I'll be heading to the library now, Padfoot. I'll be back by dinner. Bye, Lydia." She beamed at him as he swept past, carrying his books. Sirius looked a little surprised.

"So are you done with studying today, Lyd?" he said flippantly as the brunette took Remus' seat opposite him.

"Oh, I suppose so," Lydia said dubiously, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about this." She smiled as she placed the parchment on the table and he picked it up with interest. Lydia watched him intently as he read it; his expression slowly changed until there was a faint frown between his eyebrows.

"What do you think?" she said eagerly when Sirius lowered it at last. "A scholarship to take on further study for Arithmancy - do you think I should do it?"

Sirius let out a tiny sigh. "Yeah," he said demurely, "Yeah, you should go for it. But... it's all the way in Bulgaria." He looked at her, shrewd, "I never knew you fancied going to Bulgaria that much, actually, Lyd. It doesn't seem to suit someone as elegant and sophisticated as you," she giggled at this, "Why the sudden decision to go?"

She smiled secretively, looking away and shrugging, "Oh... no reason. But I heard you want to go to Bulgaria, too," Lydia said brightly, her earthen eyes excited, "We should make plans to travel together. We could even stay together. Wouldn't it be fun?"

Sirius looked rather apprehensive and wouldn't look at her as he said, "Oh... yeah... It would." He stared fretfully at the notice, an internal battle inside him, and then shook his head violently.

"Actually, no," he said agitatedly, and looked at seriously, "Lydia, please tell me you're not doing this because I'm going to Bulgaria." He sounded strained; tense, "Please tell me that I'm unbearably pigheaded and arrogant to even think that."

Her smile faded; her eyes dulled and were replaced with a sharpness instead. "What - what are you saying?" she asked.

Sirius took a deep breath, hating himself. Slowly and carefully, he said, "I'm saying that you not do this because of my decision. Making sure that you aren't trying to - follow me." He cringed; the words sounded ridiculous, but the look on her face confirmed his fears. He didn't want to lead her on, giving her false hope; he loved and cared for as a sister; that was it, and he had to make it clear. He shook his head again, "Please stop, Lydia. It's childish."

Lydia was silent for a moment, her expression hard and not betraying the way she was falling apart inside. "And what if I am?" she finally asked.

"What?"

"What if I am following you?" she repeated.

Sirius sighed, glancing away for a moment; her eyes followed him, hawk-like, until he looked back at her firmly. "I already told you before, Lyd," he said in a quiet voice, "Don't... don't make me say it again. I don't want to hurt you."

Lydia bit harder on her tongue, desperately trying to compose herself. He had no idea how much his words affected her, did he?

After a moment, Sirius spoke up again, his tone soft but firm. "In any case, if... if I was part of the reason why you wanted to take up on this offer, then you don't have to. I'm not going to Bulgaria anymore."

As broken as she felt, as angry and upset and hotly humiliated as she was, his last words were strangely louder than the rest, so that in a monotone she repeated, "You're not... going?"

Sirius looked at her, pittance in his eyes. "No. So you don't have to, either."

Lydia sat in her spot, gazing unseeingly at the table as Sirius gathered up his books. He paused, looking at her with a pained expression. "Sorry, Lyds," he whispered.

The beautiful brunette watched him leave the Great Hall, feeling as though an iron fist was squeezing her heart.

---

Lily groaned for what felt like the hundredth time; she was sitting, most reluctantly, on the Quidditch pitch, glaring as James zoomed around the stadium on his broom. And looking decidedly graceful and cool as he did so. It was getting cold and dark, but she was too tired to do her homework and at any rate, she didn't have the nerve to go back inside the castle and show off her new, luminous eyes. It would be like the acne-episode all over again.

So her only other option was to sit out here and watch James show off like the ignoramus he was - except that she didn't mind so much. It was nice to be out on the pitch, out in the open air and have a real scope of the world outside. She could think properly in the open grounds with the sky wide and endless above her. It was something she and Rinoa used to do in their junior years after a particularly trying day of classes.

_Ah, and I used to think I had it bad_, she thought idly, _Those little exams, that tiny bit of homework - why did we ever complain?_

James was diving towards the ground, his robes billowing out behind him. Lily watched in chagrined awe and fascination as he pulled neatly out of the dive; how did he do that so effortlessly?

The raven-haired boy flew over to her, grinning at her glum, sulky expression.

"Can we go now?" she complained, teeth chattering. "I'm cold and it's getting dark. And I can almost _hear_ dinner happening from out here..." She shut her eyes, thinking longingly of a hot meal in the cosy, cheerful Great Hall.

James nodded back to the castle dismissively, "Then go. No one's keeping you." His grin widened.

The redhead made a face. "I'm not going back until you do," she mumbled, hugging herself.

"Why not?"

"Because - because then I can hide behind you! No one will dare comment on these hideous eyes if you're around," Lily said, trying to sound matter-of-fact and trying in vain not to blush.

James looked taken-aback for a second, then grinned easily, "Ah, so you're relying on my power and popularity, huh?" He snickered and she blushed still redder. "Don't worry," he said emphatically, still hovering on his broom in front of her, "You're my wife-to-be. How much more protection do you want?"

Lily tightened her arms around herself and put her head in her lap. "Just keep on flying, Potter," she said in a muffled voice, "And hurry up."

He looked at her oddly, amusement and pity mingling inside him. "If you're cold, why don't you grab a broom and fly as well?" he asked. "It'll warm you up. And it's nice to be flying at this time of the day - a real, freeing feeling."

The redhead glanced up, a strange expression crossing her face. "I - uh - no thanks," she said quickly.

"Why not?" James frowned; after a few more seconds of scrutinising her embarrassed face, something dawned on him. "You... can't fly, can you?" The snickers were barely contained as he said it.

Lily looked at him huffily, defiantly, "Of course I can fly!" she protested, "I just... don't... want to..."

James took one good look at her and then burst out laughing again. "How can anyone not be able to fly?" he wondered out loud as she blushed once again, "It's so easy and _natural_, like breathing. Not to mention all the lessons we had in first year. You really are daft."

She scoffed at him, still embarrassed. "Whatever! Just go now, Potter. Your fans are calling," her tone was sarcastic as she pointed back at the stadium seats.

But he didn't leave; he stayed in the same spot, hovering inches above the grass on his broom and looking at her as though perplexed. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, James hopped off his broom and beckoned her over, "Come here."

"Oh, good," she said, rising, "Are we going back inside now?"

He smirked, "No. You're going to learn how to fly. From me."

Lily was aghast and stopped dead in her tracks, "_What_?" Fear pulsed through her in a split second. This had to be worse than doing dance practices; at least her two feet were firmly on the floor then.

But James (by some utter miracle) was serious and adamant, and so very tentatively and self-consciously Lily swung herself over his broom - it probably cost more than everything she ever owned - while he stood next to her, one arm securely on the handle to hold it steady. This was a wise move, because as soon as Lily was on the broom, she lost balance and almost toppled off. A flood of memories from first year flying lessons flashed inside her mind.

"For Merlin's sake, Evans!" James burst out when she failed to stay balanced on the broom, "Were you born with an extra ear? Are you weighted more on one side?"

She shot him a scornful a look as possible while being humiliated like this. "I just can't balance!" she retorted, still struggling on the broom while he held onto it; a second later, he had to grab her and right her once again when she began to slip.

James shut his eyes impatiently, "I have never met a girl so _aggravating..._"

Lily pretended not to hear this; at last she maintained her balance on the broom and gave him a strangled, triumphant look. "There, look! I'm sitting on your stupid broom. Stop complaining already."

"Would you like some applause?" James mocked, but moved so that he was standing behind his broomstick. A nervous Lily gripped harder onto the handle as he held onto the back instead, pushing her forward. "Okay, now just hold on," he instructed her. Her feet barely skimmed the top of the grass and yet she was feeling a fresh wave of panic; flying had never been her thing.

They started off slow, his broom moving at less than walking pace while James held firmly onto the back, so all Lily had to concentrate on was steering and keeping her balance. She found herself less afraid as she set her mind to accomplishing these feats. Every now and then, she would teeter too much to one side and start toppling off, and James would have to grab her by the shoulders and steady her again. He could never do this without a string of exasperated complaints streaming out of his mouth.

It was like riding a bike, and what a terrifying and aggravating experience it was.

It was well and truly dark when James finally decided to surrender, and all Lily had accomplished was move a few yards down one length of the pitch.

"I still can't believe you can be so _bad_ at this," he said morosely; they were walking back up the sloping grounds to the castle; James had his broom under his arm and Lily was walking beside him, holding her lit wand aloft. The lake was smooth and black in the distance, reflecting only a slither of the moonlight.

"I'm getting better," she protested earnestly, "I can kind of steer and keep balance now."

"Only because I'm standing right behind you, holding the broom steady," James said scathingly, but half-smiled. Her complete inability to fly was entertaining to him.

"One step at a time," Lily said complacently, then shivered, "It's so cold. And I'm starving." She looked up and out towards the castle, when a dark figure by the edge of the lake made her pause in her tracks. She held her wand further out, squinting into the bluish darkness, and frowned, "Is that... a student? Why on earth are they outside? It's freezing!"

James also looked over as she rounded on him worriedly, "We should go over and take them back inside before they get really sick."

But James was frowning, squinting and walking a few paces forward to look at the dark figure better. He whipped out his own wand and muttered, "_Lumos_." The light only brightened a few feet ahead of him, but it was enough for him to recognise who the figure was. His eyes widened in fervent comprehension.

"Lydia?"

He was already running over, fear jabbing him as he took in her hunched figure, the way she had her head buried in hands in an unmistakable gesture of depression. "Lydia! Lydia!" he called urgently, but still she didn't stir. Lily's mind raced wildly as she followed James; she was still running when he reached her, grabbing her arms in concern and forcing her to look up at him.

"Lydia - are you alright? What are you doing out here?" James demanded fretfully.

"James... James?"

She looked utterly woebegone, the worst he had ever seen her in all the time they'd known each other. She was freezing, trembling involuntarily, her usually olive complexion ghostly white, her hands ice cold. He had no idea how long she had sat outside for. Her eyes had a weak, dull look to them and her face seemed oddly thin in the moonlight, as if the white skin was stretched taut over her bones.

Yet still she tried to smile for him, one stone cold hand squeezing into his feebly. "James," she whispered, "You came. You... you're always the one to come."

"Lydia, what are you talking about? What's wrong with you? Why - why..."

But James' question died on his lips as her face fell back to its former broken expression, and she whispered again, "James. It... hurts." He gazed at her, frowning severely, and her voice shook with a sob. "I feel so bad," she gasped, and a flash of desperation shot across her face.

"No - Lydia - "

James wrapped his arms around her frail form and lifted her in his arms, her head lolling on his shoulder. He whirled around to see Lily standing there, rooted to the spot, concern etched all over her face.

"What's the matter with her?" she whispered.

There was a hard look in his eyes, "I don't know, but I'm taking her to the Hospital Wing. Evans," James hesitated and Lily wondered if she imagined the apologetic expression that flickered across his face, "Go back to the Head tower before you get sick too. Can you take my broom up as well?"

The urgent, fierce note of concern in his voice caught her by surprise.

"Oh... yeah, of course," Lily said, and he was off in a flash, running as quickly as he could with Lydia in his arms. The redhead watched him go with a funny feeling slinking over her. It took her a moment to realise that the sight of James carrying Lydia made her feel a little lonely.

----------

A/N: If anyone's still here, can I just say that I love you? :( I had some of this chapter written up for about _two years_ but I didn't really write most of it until the last week or so. To be honest, I don't know if I can still finish this story (getting older equates to hectic, busier lifestyles), but I just felt like giving you wonderful people some more... :) At the rate I'm going, I'll be fifty when I finish this fic. Haha? Reading the last couple of reviews make my heart wrench, seeing the pleas of dear readers over the last two years. But anyway, until next time (and don't hold your breath!)... - msq.


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